Supernaturalize Your Home

Do you "supernaturalize" your household?

Consider this excerpt from the book Race For Heaven: The Family that Overtook Christ, the story of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Frederic, in describing Lady Alice, St. Bernard’s mother says, "Was she just naturally generous and sympathetic?" “Many women are, you know. It is an instinct with them..."

That is very true, Frederic. And it may have been the case with lady Alice... she supernaturalized her nature and supernaturalized her generous and sympathetic tendencies so that it would become divine charity.

To "supernaturalize" means... to make present in the natural what is supernatural; to see God when our eyes may only see material things; to see and acknowledge God in everything.

First, you can start living the Liturgical Candendar. Outside of following our Feast Day Listings and Daily Feast Day Posts, Here are a list of books to help guide you:

Some ideas you can implement immediately:

  • Take advantage of sunrises, sunsets, storms, etc. to praise God for his creation.
  • While driving (or if you hear it in your home), pray as a family when you see/hear an ambulance or police-car with their lights on. 
  • When driving by a cemetery, pray : "Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls." until the cemetery passes your line of vision. 
  • During chore-time, ask everyone if they'd like to offer this time of service for an intention i.e. "for Grandma to feel better." 
  • Stop and pray at a Catholic or non-Catholic cemetery (explaining difference in doctrine, and even a greater need as mosts Protestants do not pray for their dead) 
  • Read Scripture aloud. even just minutes a day. Gospels always the best
  • Did you know there are 31 Proverbs? Read the corresponding proverb, given today's date. i.e. March 5th, read Proverbs 5...April 30 read Proverbs 30. 
  • Add a daily Mass to your schedule. Great training ground for the little ones, because it's shorter in duration! 
  • Listen to the "Saint of the Day" online or install the app on your phone (2 minutes!) or read the Saint of the Day (many books and websites-see our daily resources Jan-Jun Jul-Dec for more resources) 
  • Play Christian music radio, like KTIS 98.5 FM in Minneapolis 
  • Listen to Relevant Radio, a Catholic talk radio, like 1330 AM in Minneapolis 
  • Add "Thankfuls" to your family prayer time. Everyone gets an opportunity to share at least one thing they are thankful to the Lord for. 
  • Add "I am sorry for..." to your family prayer time. Everyone gets an opportunity to share something they repent and seek forgiveness for, asking forgiveness from the victim (if they are present) and from the Lord. 
  • Celebrate Feast Days, see our resources Jan-Jun Jul-Dec, or there are innumerable others. 
  • Bible & Saint Movies
  • Great Christian Books on-hand. 
  • Christian articles in your home. Pictures of Jesus. Relics, Rosaries, etc. 
  • Decide to make a family Consecration to Jesus through Mary. St. Louis de Montfort's True Devotion online /order a book or Father Michael E. Gaitley's 33 Days to Morning Glory
  • Add a sacrifice, "Everyone, SILENCE for ______ minutes before beginning or during a meal. Set a timer. Everyone is absolutely silent for, and offers that time for some intention. 
  • Start saying the Family Rosary. Just start with a decade if you are new to it. You can order a FREE Rosary CD from the Mary Foundation. For a great kids version from EWTN, just click here and watch, follow along! 
  • Start saying the Angelus Prayer at 6, noon and 6. (Nice, cuz it's close to mealtimes)
    Angelus (Latin) sung on Youtube, 3 min
    Angleus (English) on Youtube, 2 min Angelus (English) pretty images on Youtube, 3 min 
  • When you hear of a troubling situation, stop IMMEDIATELY, and say to your family, "Let's pray for this dear person or this situation..." 
Tip: if you want to start a new habit, sometimes it's easiest to add it around a meal-time, or some other regular time, so you don't forget.

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