One of the challenges of our busy lives is living our faith beyond just Sundays. It takes effort to create a routine of receiving the Sacraments, reading Scripture, and praying the Rosary on our own time.
Here’s a simple practice that can help us mentally and spiritually remain plugged into our faith: start the habit of reading the upcoming Sunday’s Mass readings on Wednesday.
For someone with a young family, this can be very helpful. We all know how little kids can struggle to get through Mass (to put it gently). Oftentimes, parents need to step out for a few minutes with a screaming toddler, or occasionally change a dirty diaper. And, of course, these instances have to happen right around the homily.
By familiarizing yourself with the readings in advance, you can step out (or mentally check out) for a few minutes and not be completely lost upon your return.
If you’re not a parent, or if your kids are grown, or if you luckily have kids that are well behaved, reading ahead of time still allows you to dive deeper into the text instead of struggling to intently listen along. Starting your preparation days in advance allows you to connect with the Mass more, compared to just preparing your heart and mind minutes before walking into church on Sunday.