Ash Wednesday is just the start of the Lenten season, with its traditional pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, so how do you carry the spirit of the day forward? Set aside some time on this day to talk with your family – or yourself – and set manageable, tangible goals for the Lenten season. It may be attending weekly Stations of the Cross as a family, working together on a service project, making a meatless meal from another country and learning about its history, or blocking off daily time for more intense personal reflection and prayer.
Love is in the air this month, when the Church celebrates National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, Feb. 9) as well as the feast of St. Valentine (Feb. 14). While there is some dispute over who St. Valentine actually was – early Church records identify at least three St. Valentines in the second half of the third century – all of them were martyrs and all are remembered on Feb. 14. According to tradition, St. Valentine risked his life to marry Christian couples during a time of persecution. He finally gave his life in martyrdom, the ultimate manifestation of love. Here are a few ways to add a dash of faith to your Valentine’s Day celebrations: