“You are always nicer on the days you go to Mass”

I began adding a couple of weekday Masses to my prayer life about 25 years ago. One day I was having a particular rough day with my children and I was yelling at them over something they had done. My then eight-year-old began to cry and yelled back, “You didn't go to Mass today, did you? You are always nicer on the days you go to Mass.” That statement hit me between the eyes. She was completely right. On the days I would go to Mass, I had more patience with my children and our day was calmer. I realized that this patience was not achieved by anything that I was doing except for the free gift of the grace given to me with each reception of holy Communion: Jesus coursing through my veins changed me. That was the day I began to go to Mass almost every day and I brought my children with me as well. We also began going to adoration as a family. 

I am not saying our days were always perfect; we are all still fallen and can choose to follow our own will above God's will, but with the grace of frequent reception of holy Communion, we were all able to grow in virtue and be more Christ-like to each other. With each holy Communion, He was changing our hearts to be more like His heart. Now all seven of our children, ages 37 to 18, are still actively practicing their Catholic Faith, attending Mass and Eucharistic adoration regularly; and they know for themselves that it is Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament, who transforms them with each encounter with Him in the most holy Eucharist.