Lent can be a wonderful time for deepening family spirituality. Just as significantly, Lent can be a time when married couples have an opportunity to fall more deeply in love with each other and with God. With Ash Wednesday just a couple of weeks away, now is the time for a husband and wife to talk about what aspect of marital spirituality they would like to focus on this Lent.
Couple prayer time can be incorporated into each day. Taking a few minutes to pray for and with each other draws us closer together. Speaking my prayers aloud with John listening can be intimidating. It’s really important for me to trust John enough to let him hear my heartfelt prayers. When I do, an emotional bond is formed between us that is deep and passionate.
Volunteering together for a few hours each week during Lent can remind us of our blessings. Giving our time and energy to a cause we believe in places us in a position to see each other’s strengths and be grateful for all that we have. Now is the time to make arrangements to spend time this Lent helping others.
Going to daily Mass together during Lent is a practice that can have an incredible effect on our marriage. Making a commitment for the two of us to carve out time together before work or at lunchtime one or two days each week allows us to connect in a unique way. It gives us a "time out" together in the middle of our busy days to focus on our spirituality.
These three Lenten practices for couples are just a small sampling of the steps we might choose to take this year to strengthen our relationship with each other and our couple relationship with God. The opportunities are endless, and now is the time to talk about what we want to do this Lent.
