Step 2: Eat dinner together. Not very spiritual-sounding, is it? But it is. The Mass is a communal meal. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, identified his betrayer, and instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. Christ's first miracle took place at a meal - the wedding feast of Cana. We see Him dining with tax collectors, Pharisees, and friends. And then, of course there is the miracle of the loaves and fishes - twice.
The importance of meals in the New Testament is a reflection of the importance of meals to the Jewish people and a template for the importance of meals to Christians today.
When we eat in shifts, or when Dad or Mom habitually misses the evening meal, we teach our children that we are just co-habitants instead of a family, and they lose something sacred. When the family dinner is held in high esteem, with a prayer, a moratorium on the phone, and an insistence on manners, then it becomes an anchor.
On Tuesdays, my daughter has ballet from 5 to 730. We have to leave by 4 to get there on time. So Mom and the boys eat without us. But when we get home, the family gathers together as we eat. The family meal is preserved.
We do not abandon our traditions just because of the pressures of modern life. But we do get creative when we have to.
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