We had a rule in our home when our children were little. We only had dessert on the weekend whether it be a dish of ice cream or a freshly baked pie or cake. On Mondays through Friday, don’t even ask if you want to avoid the disappointment of a negative reply. The children were being raised with this rule and they knew more than an extra sweet will be lost if they nag.
There have been times, however, when an extra dessert was forthcoming during the weekdays because of a holiday or other special occasion. The children greatly enjoyed this break but it didn't take them long to consider this the new rule! Any break from the usual discipline sent them on a quest for more and more laxness in their upbringing. It is very seldom considered a rare treat but a stepping stone to more freedom.
Once when I was checking my calendar, I noticed that Holy Days of Obligation are not always an obligation for us anymore. Making time for Mass on a Holy Day in my childhood was often a challenge between school and parents’jobs but we always managed it. Now, when ever a Holy Day falls on an awkward day, some diocese make it easier for us by cancelling our obligation. I often wonder if, we, as grown ups view it much the same as children and treats. Do we strive to live within a certain discipline or do we adjust our discipline to fit our lives?
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