The primary obligation of parents
towards their children is to pave the way for the salvation of their immortal
souls. Jesus pointed this out very
clearly: “What would it profit a man if
he were to gain the whole world and lose his soul in the process. What can a
man exchange for his very soul?” This Biblical passage was instrumental in the
conversion of the great missionary, Saint Francis Xavier.
In this short essay, we would like to
pinpoint five concrete decisions and practices that parents can undertake so as
to pave the way to heaven for their children. Never forget parents: your
primary obligation is to bring every family member to heaven, to be with God,
the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels and saints for all eternity!
1.
BAPTISM. Provide for the Baptism of your child as soon
as possible. During the course of the pregnancy good parents can do all the
prior preparations so as to have the child baptized rapidly. Baptismal talks,
papers, godparents, etc. can be prepared and ready even before the child is
born. Remember the words of Jesus, referring to the small child; “Let the
little children come to me because as such is the kingdom of heaven.”
2.
PRAYER IMMEDIATELY! A child can be compared to a SPONGE! The nature of a sponge is to absorb,
especially liquids and usually water. However, if one puts dirty water into the
sponge, then dirty water will be wrung out; clean, then clean water will be
wrung out. A three year-old child can
watch TV. and repeat dumb, offensive and vulgar words or songs. If this is the
case, why should parents not fill the mind, heart and lips of the child with
prayers to the Guardian Angel, to Mary, to the Trinity, to the Heavenly Father. Why allow the child to be filled with junk,
better, to fill him/her with beautiful prayers!
3.
OFFER IT UP. Parents, we invite you to teach your children
the short but all important phrase:
“Offer it up!” What this really means is to take advantage of daily
sufferings and crosses that God sends to adults as well as to children. Much
suffering is wasted because it is not offered up to God. Why not teach
children, even when they are small, to offer up the headache, toothache, hot or
cold weather, the fall and bruise and the cut, so that these sufferings will
have infinite value! Mom and Dad, you are the first teachers, especially in the
area of faith! Be faithful to your
marriage vocation!
4.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED
YOU! The Last and greatest commandment
of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was that of love—to love all as he loved
us. Parents who are blessed by God to have more than one child should make a
concerted effort on their part to love their children and their immortal souls.
However, the devil always seeks to sow the seed of discord, confusion,
jealously, rivalry, comparisons, and suspicions. Parents must strive with all
of the energy of their wills to foster mutual respect, humility, love and
harmony among their siblings. At all costs parents must avoid the
“Cain-complex”. What is the “Cain-complex”? The Cain-complex consists in
pitting one sibling against the other. It results in the ugly fruits of
comparisons, rivalries, jealousy often leading to envy and fights and hatred
and killing, if not physically at least in the heart. How can the “Cain-complex”
be avoided? A simple remedy! It is all related to union with God in prayer, the
three dimensions of family prayer. Parents should pray for their children;
parents should teach their children to pray; finally, parents should pray with
their children. If done, this will prove
to be one of the most efficacious remedies to avoid the ugly, but all too
prevalent “Cain-complex.”
5.
THE REAL PRESENCE. Good Catholic parents, we warmly exhort you
to teach your children, as soon as possible, the meaning of the “Real Presence”
of Jesus in the Mass, Consecration, Holy Communion. Furthermore, parents should
teach their children, even the little ones, where Jesus is truly present in the
Church. How is this to be done successfully
by parents? Various suggestions! 1) Parents work on growing in your own faith
in Jesus present in the Eucharist--- Nobody can give what he does not possess
personally. 2) HOLY MASS! Explain to your children that the most important
event every week is attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sunday, but
also participating fully, consciously and actively. 3) REVERENCE. The modern world has lost the sense of the sacred
in the churches today. Parents must teach their children that the Church is the
House of God and a sacred and holy environment. Therefore, in the presence of
Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, there should be cultivated silence, that
fosters both prayer and reverence. 4) GENUFLECTION. Parents should execute the
genuflection properly, right knee to the ground with hands folded over heart,
and explain why this is done. Simply! It
is done to adore the Lord of Lord and King of Kings who is residing in His
little Palace or Castle in the Blessed Sacrament. The Kings prostrated themselves before the
Child Jesus in Bethlehem; we prostrate ourselves by a reverential genuflection.
Remember that Jesus, now present in the Blessed Sacrament, is still Lord of
Lords and King of Kings and still worthy of worship and praise. This is done by
the genuflection. 5) VISITS TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. One of the first little poems I remembered
learning as a child was the following related to Eucharistic visits: “Whenever I see a Church, I stop to make a
visit, so that when I die the Lord will not say, who is it?” Parents
should form the habit of now and then stopping to visit Jesus truly present in
the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. Even though the visit might last five
minutes, this is very pleasing to Jesus whose Sacred Heart rejoices every time
we visit Him and remember Him!
In conclusion, if parents can take
seriously their obligation to be a Saint John the Baptist and point the way to
Jesus and the Highway to heaven, then the parents will strive to implement
these five practical points of advice: 1) The graces of early Baptism; 2) Prayer which is the key to heaven; 3) The value of
offering up and suffering for a purpose; 4) Love, living out love in family; 5)
The Eucharistic Lord, growing in faith, knowledge and love for Jesus the Bread
of Life, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. May Mary, the Mother of God, the
Mother of the Church and our Heavenly Mother attain for us extraordinary graces
through her all-powerful prayers!