PARENTHOOD

Words of Blessed Solanus Casey

“Parenthood – raising up little saints for God, and sanctifying ones own soul by a constant union of spirit and will with the Divine Spouse of our souls – Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.”

Words of Saint Theresa of Calcutta

“God does not call me to be successful; He calls me to be faithful”

ON PARENTHOOD

“What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Mark 8:36)

Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the child’s earliest years…(Catechism of The Catholic Church 2226)

“The Bible emphasizes that parenthood is a divine responsibility, with parents acting as stewards of God’s blessings and entrusted with the spiritual and practical well-being of their children.” Please read Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 13:24, Matthew 19:14 and 1 Peter 5:2-2.

“In essence, the Bible presents parenthood as a sacred calling, urging parents to raise their children in a way that honors God, provides for their needs, and prepares them to live fulfilling lives rooted in faith.” (Children’s Ministry Basics)

Please pray for your children daily, fast for them and pray with them.

Are we successful parents if our children become doctors, lawyers, musicians, scientists, teachers, great business or political or civic leaders or sports figures but practice no faith in God? Are we practicing faith in God and modeling it for them even after our children enter into adulthood? Are we blessing our children every time we are in their presence and physically with them?

No matter where our children are at in their faith it’s up to us as parents to be the change and the only person we can change is ourselves and the only thing that has to change in us is everything!

Don’t believe that you and your children and everyone else is going to heaven. The Bible does not state this, Jesus does not state this, The saints do not state this nor does the Cathechism of The Catholic Church say this. Matter of fact that some, if not many saints who were granted mystical visions of hell state they saw souls falling into hell like snowflakes. The Catholic Church teaches – all who die in God’s grace and friendship, though perhaps imperfectly purified, are assured of eternal salvation. Think about friendship. Friendship is a state you invest in: you spend time with your friends, you talk to your friends, you listen to your friends, you help your friends, you allow friends to help you. How can you possibly think you know God if you don’t spend time with Him, talk to Him, listen to Him, try to help Him (in His plan of salvation), and allow Him to help you.

We have much work to do as parents and as people of God. Get started if you are already not on the way and persevere until the end of your life because it never stops.

The greatest tragedy is to not become a saint. Mother Angelica from EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) fame said this. She was a Poor Clare cloistered nun. I will add that the greatest tragedy is to not help your children become saints and I have much work to do. It’s not about making heaven either; it’s about training, teaching and modeling sainthood, the highest heights of heaven and not simply believing everyone makes heaven. As Jesus states, be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48), and strive to enter through the narrow gate, which is the road less traveled (Luke 13:24, Matthew 7:13-14).

Let’s help our children become saints as we sanctify ourselves in doing so. I am praying for you and for all parents. Please pray for me.