February brings many things to the forefront of our minds.  Love, relationships, Valentine's Day, impending Lenten sacrifices, all of which trigger different responses in each of us.  The point of shifting into liturgical living is not so much about fitting into a mold of a "good Catholic household", but instead is all about cultivating an authentic love of the Lord.

The Saints we choose to honor serve to expand our horizons to how the Lord chose to move in their lives.  It also honors their sacrifice and focuses us on how they currently intercede for us in Heaven.  They themselves displayed heroic virtue as well as selfless love focused on the Father.

This is the love, known philosophically as "agape", that we are to emulate to our spouses, children, friends, family and community.  It aims for a deeper movement of the heart than just attraction or pleasure.  Its intent is beyond the self.  Drawing us into a more intimate relationship with the Father that becomes reflected in our day to day interactions with others.

The goal this month is to shift the way we perceive love to "will the good of the other" not as "what does the other person do for me?".  We do this by little acts of the will according to the season of life and vocation we are in.  Here are some good places to start:

1. Make a list of 10 ways you can love your spouse, children or friends that don't involve money.

- Do an act of service for them.

- Offer mass for them.

- Be generous toward them by helping them or bringing them something they need.

- Include them in your daily prayers.

- Offer daily struggles and sacrifices for them.

- Compliment them on something they do well.

- Choose a way to display outrageous generosity!  Bring a meal to a family in need, donate to a shelter, volunteer at the Lord's Diner, pay someone's way for something, etc.  Step out of your comfort zone a bit on this.

2. Pray for an increase in graces required to love as we're called.

- This is something to do situationally.  If one day you're feeling impatient, ask for an increase for that.  If another day, you feel tired, ask for an increase in energy.  The Lord is ready to pour out all you need!

3. As you choose feast days to celebrate and Lenten sacrifices, approach them with the angle of love.

- How does a Saint's story display selfless love?  How does their example affect your life?

- This Lent, how will what you choose to sacrifice or do help you to grow more towards the Father and the sacrificial love He calls us to?  As opposed to choosing to give up candy or soda, shift the perspective and ask instead, "How will giving up candy or soda allow me to increase in love?"  "Does sugar make me agitated toward my family?"  "Can I increase in love for God's design of me by choosing nourishing things instead?"

These articles provide links, lists and ideas for the notable feast days in February.

1. Choose a task you struggle with or dislike and make an effort to do it with love this Lent.

2. Try to do the hard things without complaining, but instead unite them to the cross by saying, "Jesus this is hard so I unite myself to you in the passion that I may grow stronger in virtue and resolve. Amen."

3. Step into a spiritual devotion you haven't tried before.  Even an intense one if you're up for it.

4. Serve others in a way that is foreign to you.  Make meals for the homeless, bring baked goods to others unannounced, pray in intercession for those you're struggling with, surrender people in your life that you want to hold on to by intentionally giving them to Jesus, join a prayer team, read to children in the community, teach a class, etc.

5. Give away material items you don't need, but have an attachment to.

February is full of opportunities to deep dive all the doors the Lord opens for us to grow deeply in love with Him and His plan which in turn unites us deeply to our loved ones.  Being an example of this love is not easy.  Growing in it requires stepping out in new ways, but in learning it, we find that the way we become draws others into this love.

Praying for many blessing and lots of spiritual growth in this season!