St. Therese of Lisieux
Last night I was contemplating the spiritual lives and practices of my children. It's not something you want to do before you go to bed if you expect to sleep well. It's not just their misunderstanding or outright ignorance of Church teaching, let alone Biblical teaching, that distresses me - it's their lack of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
I take a good chunk of responsibility for not providing proper religious education for the children but how does one foster a relationship with Jesus? My eldest son, on the occasion of his FHC at 8 years of age, whispered to me that he was so happy he thought he might cry. He now totally rejects anything about the Church. My youngest crucifix-and-St. Michael-medal-wearing son, who has looked death right in the face, who thanked God for letting him live through an IED explosion, refused to go to Mass with me two weeks ago. WHAT HAPPENED to make them reject Jesus? Perhaps the eldest was only caught up in the moment of his FHC. Perhaps my youngest had a situational conversion and once the danger was past - so was his dependance on God.
My step-daughter claims to be "raised Catholic." She asked me to give a blessing at her non-church wedding last year. She asked me to write something personal. So I did. It was deemed "too religious" and rejected. I suggested someone else help her out. Her best friend read out a blessing that was found on the internet - and deleted all reference to Jesus Christ! Then when Step-daughter was deathly ill with morning sickness she asked me to pray for her. And just Who did she think I would be praying to? I did pray though.
I try to be so patient with them. I don't make a big deal about religious matters. It's just a natural part of the daily routine. The kids know if I visit over a weekend that I will be going to Mass on Sunday and I appreciate them driving me there. (Even eldest son doesn't argue with me - just gets up early and takes me there. I always invite him to join me but he brings a book with him and goes to a coffee shop while he waits for me.) IF they ask anything about the Church I am always happy to answer their questions but I never force anything on them.
And perhaps that is the crux of the matter - they might ask about the Church but they never ask about Jesus Christ. If only they knew how much He loved them.
Sadly, Angela
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