Happy New Year to all! We have much work to do as Christians.
There is so much to speak about. The world, our country, and our families reveal to us how little we humans care for our God by our refusal to live within the rules he sets. Because of our disobedience to his laws, we seem to always be in some sort of a crisis or another. We appear to have lost faith and hope in our loving Creator and His gift, His one holy and apostolic Church- the light-bearer of souls.
Even some of my own children have fallen for the lie of not needing God or religion. God and His Church are old-fashioned and not cool, except if you are Tim Tebow, the NFL Christian rockstar, (God bless His courage)! These problems of faith and truth are so evident by a recent telephone conversation I witnessed between one of my granddaughters and her father a few months ago on our way back from our semi-annual trip to our timeshare campground in Julian, California.
My husband, mother and I carve out a couple weekends a year to gather up as many of our 19 grandkids as possible and spend a long weekend in a small cabin in a resort type atmosphere playing, eating, praying and going to Church. These weekends are a treasure to us and the kids. It is their time away from their parents and for them to get to know their Catholic grandparents who live so far away from them.
The conversations we have with these tykes, aged 8 & under, are incredible and thought-provoking. I thought would share one. During one of our deep conversations (there are many) with eight of them, the kids were comparing who was baptized and who was not. Alexis, a seven year old, was dismayed that she was not. She demanded to know why she was not, I empathetically shared with her and the others that her parents have chosen not to have she, her two sisters and her older brother baptized. She tightly scrunched up her face and inquisitively asked, “Are my parents baptized?” I replied, “Yes.” She then thought a minute and blurted out in a demanding tone, “Then why am I not baptized?” I told her she would have to have that conversation with them. She contemplated my reply and we changed the subject, but I could tell the possibility crossed her mind that her parents were neglectful of something very important as Alexis loves going to Church with us and loves to pray. I watched as she was continuing to have a hard time digesting the thought of why her parents don’t participate in the idea and practice of the love of God and His Holy Sacraments.
The next day, Alexis was riding shotgun with me in the car (we take three cars to our weekend events and arrange the kids in the different cars) as I was on the way to return she and her younger sister to her parent’s home. Her Father called my cellphone to ask when we would be arriving. I told him we were on our way and were about an hour away. Alexis asked if she could speak to her father. Of course I agreed…. not expecting what was fortcoming. First thing right out of her mouth Alexis blurted out with a loud and decisive voice, “Dad! Why is it that you and Mom are baptized and I am not! Don’t you understand that I need to go to Heaven too!” There was a long pause of silence, as her father was obviously speechless. Her father then said, “No, you can still go to Heaven and not be baptized.” Alexis retorted, “No you are wrong, we have to be baptized to go to Heaven.” She then went on scolding her father like a principal who was scolding a pupil. Of course he kept trying to change the subject. I sat comfortably driving while smiling and thanking God for the honesty and faith of this little precocious girl.
It has been a few months now and little Alexis is still not baptized, so please pray that her parents soon realize the incredible harm they are inflicting by denying their children the Truth and the Life. The good news is that last week my youngest daughter, allowed us to have her last two little boys baptized on the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Unfortunately not all parents will allow their offspring to become children of God. I fear their judgment, especially those who know better.
One nation under God means nothing these days! The total lie of selfish independence has permeated even Christian families. This is a battle…. A battle for souls. We have much work to do. Be fearless and know that our good God is with us in our courageous fight to put and keep Christ in American culture and most of all our families. We must pray that every child will be availed the opportunity to grow up knowing, loving and serving God. That they will be taught their true purpose is to live for God and His Holy Church on earth and not for the self and the world which is passing. These vital and sensitive issues are truly the difference between eternal life or death for so many. Pray and act now that grace abounds in these difficult situations we all find ourselves in. Remember we will be judged in all of our actions and reactions. God love you and give you the strength and the courage of Tim Tebow.
