Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Failure to Give the Best You Have to Give

Some parents have the idea that they should wait to inform their children of the faith so that they can make their own decision of what to believe. This is a huge mistake on many levels.

Level 1:

Your child will have a weaker connection with Christ if you do not introduce them to Christ from the start. If you love someone it would be selfish to not introduce them to the source of all love. It would be worse then not introducing them to their grandparents and extended family. And who would rationally make the argument that you want you children to decide for themselves if they want to love their grandparents when they are better able to understand what love is?

Level 2:

Your child will not be exposed to the best that western culture has produce with it’s over 2,000 year wisdom Tradition. This is the truth that Christ gave to the Church that it has handed down through the centuries to us. This is the Tradition that produced saints like St. Teresa, St. Francis, St. Clair, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Thomas Moore...and on and on and on. It is failing to give the best of what Christ’s bride has to offer.

Level 3:

It is impossible to raise a child to be neutral. By not teaching the faith you are producing a vacuum that will be filled by some other source. A source that is likely to be shallow and superficial.

Level 4:

By teaching your children the truth of the Catholic Faith you are not taking away their free will. There will be a time where they will have to make the decision to ether pick up the cross and follow Christ or reject it. In the end it still is their choice.

3 comments:

Jim Hogue, MA, MFT said...

I like what is written here regarding our children. It is valuable information in a world where so many Catholics are making a "huge" mistake not taking full advantage of that near 2000 years of history in our family dynamics. I wish to place this at my work www.catholicpsychology.blogspot.com if it is OK. (Jim Hogue)

Anonymous said...

Just wondering when you are going to post again. Surely you aren't that busy to give us something to ponder.

Austin said...

Dad is that you? :) I plan on posting more.