Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
THURSDAY, July 7th Mt. 10: 7-15 “Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”
- Jesus is sending the twelve Apostles out proclaiming the good news: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Today He gives a warning to a house or town who will not receive them or listen to their words.
- “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Lk. 12:48)
- The following counsel by Fr. Ed is for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Every faith-filled and caring adult member of the family or extended family can exercise a positive influence on the children in the family, on both the natural and supernatural plane.
- Let us each examine our conscience today and see if we have been that positive influence. If so, how can we enhance it? If not, let us resolve to begin today!
PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN SURROUNDED BY WOLVES by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
A Good Shepherd is intent on protecting his sheep from the ravenous wolves on the prowl seeking prey. Such a shepherd knows where the wolves come from, when they attack, and how they attack. Of course the best model in the world of a Good Shepherd is Jesus. He says the Good Shepherd is willing to lay down his life and die for the sheep entrusted to his care. (Jn. 10:11) The welfare of the sheep supersedes and transcends the value of the Shepherd himself. Jesus’ death on the cross on Good Friday is the most eloquent proof of the love of the Good Shepherd for the sheep under His care. The Precious Blood that He shed on the cross shows most clearly and convincingly His limitless love for us!
Never have we lived in a world where there are so many wolves on the prowl to attack, bite, devour and kill the sheep of our flock—that is to say, our children and teens! Therefore, parents must be in training formation so as to be able to protect their children from these prowling wolves.
We would like to offer a spiritual strategy plan that could be of great use to help us to be the Good Shepherd that Jesus our Good Shepherd wants us to be.
1. BAPTISM AND CONSECRATION TO MARY. Parents should provide and procure the baptism of their child as soon as possible; with the Baptism, in the same ceremony, they should consecrate their child to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. One of the special intentions will be to protect the child from the ravenous wolves that are on the prey to attack and kill. In our spiritual battle we should prepare for war as soon as possible, be well safeguarded and protected by a sacramental life, with protection from Mary whose prayers and protection are most powerful.
2. PRAYER. Family prayer is of the essence. Parents are the first educators of their children, especially in the path of faith and love for God. One of the essential elements of our faith is Prayer. With respect to prayer, parents should faithfully carry out three fundamental tasks. First, pray for the protection, welfare and salvation of their children. Second, the parents should teach their children to pray and as early as possible. Children are like sponges; they absorb—either good or bad. The other day I listened to one of my relatives—a child of less than three years of age—- recite the Creed! This is a sign of good parents working at a very tender age with their little one. Let us not underestimate the capacity and potential of the child. Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me.” (Mt. 19:14) Third, parents should pray with their children. The Rosary is a prayer most pleasing to Jesus and Mary. How often have we heard: “The family that prays, together stays together.” (Ven. Father Patrick Peyton).
3. CONTROL ELECTRONICS WORLD. Parents, as the Good Shepherds of their flock, must strive to control access to and use of the electronics world in the lives of their children. Television, movies, magazines, but most especially, use of the Internet must be supervised constantly on the part of parents. As daunting a task as this may seem, still this is the responsibility of parents as the Good Shepherds of their flock. Allowing for free access and use of the Internet for children and teens has proven catastrophic in too many cases. The number one addiction in the USA is that of pornography—the abuse of the electronic world, specifically the internet. How true this sage proverb: “Better preventive medicine, than curative medicine.”
4. LIVE THE SABBATH DAY WITH YOUR FAMILY. Sunday is the Lord’s Day and it should be lived fully and properly according to God’s plan, remembering that Sunday is also FAMILY DAY! After attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receiving Holy Communion in Church together, then it is time to enjoy family time and bond with family members. How? Have a good meal together, or better yet, take a picnic lunch and go to the park to eat, play together, rest together, and enjoy each other’s company. Take a nature walk and thank God for the beauty of His creation. Visit an elderly or sick person who is abandoned, giving this person joy and hope. At night have a pizza party and watch a good movie with good spiritual and family values. Then after the movie, have each one share on their favorite scenes and the good values that were transmitted. Finally, to end the day, pray the family Rosary together. This is a way to live out the Sabbath rest and bond emotionally with family members.
5. FRIENDS. The Bible teaches us that a good friend is a great treasure beyond price. The poet says that no man is an island unto himself. Aristotle says that man is a social animal. Jesus Himself willed to enter the world in a family, and choose the Apostles whom He called friends. We all need friends, or at least one good friend. However, parents must be very careful and judicious in watching over their children’s choice of friends. One bad friend can ruin lives. Indeed we should define what a good friend is as opposed to a pseudo (false) friend. As followers of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, a true friend is someone who brings us closer to Jesus, our BEST FRIEND. This should always be our first criteria!
6. IDLENESS IS THE WORKSHOP OF THE DEVIL. Saint John Bosco had a dread fear every year for his young and it was the vacation months. He was aware of the many temptations that young people are exposed to when they have too much free time on their hands. It is so true: if we have nothing to do, the devil will give us plenty to do! Look at the sin of King David who committed adultery and then murder. One of the principal reasons for David falling into sin was that he had a block of free time and no plans. Good parents, and Good Shepherds to their flock, should always have their children, and especially their teens, constantly engaged in wholesome and enriching activities. We should always be busy—but not nervously frenetic and agitated. Our engagement can be in one or more of three areas: physical, mental, and spiritual. Sports for young people are invaluable in keeping the body occupied in a wholesome manner. The habit of reading good books so as to cultivate the mind will never be regretted. A strong and holy mind can do limitless good for the society; take Aquinas, John Paul II, and Augustine as examples! Finally, spiritual activity is of paramount importance. On holidays and vacation time there is no reason why parents—the Good Shepherds of their flock—cannot take their children to daily Mass and receive Holy Communion, the Bread of Life and the strength of the saints and martyrs.
7. COMMUNICATION. Busy work schedules, paying the bills, shopping for groceries, being caught in traffic jams—all of the above characterize modern life and sometimes can serve as an excuse to neglect a very important component of family life—dialogue and communication with your children. The modern man, woman, and teen unfortunately spend more time in front of the screen than in front of the human person. In the eyes of God, the human person has infinitely more value than all of the material objects in the world. Many young people today are addicted to the internet and all that is involved in the electronic world. In a certain sense, we can say that many young people live more in a fantasy world than in the real world. Parents, for the love of God and the future of your children, find time to talk with and listen to your children. This is your responsibility!
8. LAUGHTER AND JOY IS THE BEST MEDICINE. One of the many fruits of the Holy Spirit is that of JOY! Parents should strive to cultivate an environment of joy in their homes. The family milieu should have an aroma and ambience of joy so that after school their children do not dread returning to home—as if it were a jail or penitentiary—but rather a place of joy, peace, harmony, and wholesome rest. Many young people have recourse to premarital sex, drinking, and drugs, or seek gang involvement, because there is no welcoming and joyful family environment to come home to. Beg the Holy Spirit for the grace to experience joy and share it with your children. Saint Paul exhorts us: “Rejoice in the Lord; I say it again: rejoice in the Lord.” (Phil. 2:2)
9. MERCY AND FORGIVENESS. The English poet, Alexander Pope coined an immortal saying that all of us should memorize and live by: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” Only God is perfect and the just man falls seven times a day. The family is a school of virtues and a school of forgiveness. We can all hurt family members by our words, gestures, silence, inattentiveness, and at times crude selfishness. However, that which can really tear down families to the very foundation is to fail to forgive and to foster resentments and bitterness against any family member. Jesus’ last commandment was: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (Jn. 13:34) Jesus also said: “Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.” (Lk. 6:36) Finally, in the most famous prayer in the world, the Our Father, we pray: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Starting today, right now, let us reconcile with each other and foster family peace, harmony and love.
10. REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE AND WEEP WITH THOSE WHO WEEP! (Rom. 12:15) Saint Paul enjoins us in the above words! The family should cultivate what the athletes term, TEAM WORK! A successful team rejoices in the success of one team-member and suffers at the failure of another the team member. When a baseball team, or basketball team, or football team wins a game or championship, it is not the victory of one member, but of all the members playing and working together towards the same goal. Likewise, whenever a family member triumphs—morally, spiritually, physically or intellectually—then all the members of the family should rejoice in this victory. Jealousy and envy in a family can kill; rejoicing together in love is what builds up families and triumphs.
In conclusion, the family today is surrounded by a pack of ravenous wolves that desire to attack and destroy. It is up to parents, the Good Shepherds of the flock entrusted to their care, to do all in their power to protect, preserve and save their children. The key to being a Good Shepherd to the sheep in our care is that we must first be a good sheep of the Good Shepherd, Jesus the Lord. “The Lord is my Shepherd there is nothing I shall lack.” (Psalm 23:1)
