Children, too, should make the most of Lent

Soon, the Church will lead us into the season of Lent. For 40 days, Christians will live in a special way, making every effort to avoid sin. Children, too, should observe Lent properly; yet we often notice that some children do not take Lent seriously. They overlook the fact that Lent is a time when we must make new resolutions and take decisions to change; otherwise, we become like those people mentioned in the Bible, ‘who honour God with their lips, but whose hearts are far from Him’. Lent is a time when our lives and our hearts must draw closer to Jesus.

What can help children have a meaningful Lent is to make resolutions to grow, such as these:

1. During the 40 days of Lent, to be faithful to their personal prayer and to get up early to pray.

a. Not watch too much television, but also set aside time to read the Bible

b. Avoid lying or stealing.

c. Be more obedient to their parents and elders.

d. Be tidier and more disciplined.

All these small efforts will ensure that Lent helps children to grow in their love for Jesus, and that they may truly be converted.

A short story:

Once upon a time, in Nagaste, Africa, a family welcomed a little boy into the world whom they named Augustine. His mother’s name was Monica, and she taught him to pray and never stopped telling him about God. However, Augustine’s father did not love God and was a bad influence on Augustine. Instead of little Augustine following his mother’s good example, he tended to follow his father’s bad example, which filled his mother with despair; she prayed and wept a great deal over this. Augustine was very intelligent, but he had a problem: he always sought to imitate what was wrong.  However, one day in Milan, St Augustine met Ambrose, and later, in Africa, Augustine went on a retreat with some of his friends, and God spoke to him in a special way. Augustine was converted. He decided to give up all his bad habits and devote himself solely to the love of God and his neighbour.

Henri Bayemi