Cradle of Faith

Once a month, my oldest daughter (age 6) attends Mass with her first grade class.  On a good day, I'll get there early (if I don't miss it all together) and have an opportunity to pray, meditate and read the scriptures, searching for what God wants me to know, before she and her classmates arrive.  But on days when I miscalculate my time, I will arrive moments before they enter the church.  Then it is a little more difficult to settle myself, collect my thoughts and center in preparation for fellowship. In either case, it is a delight to see her eyes open wide with joy in anticipation of her "Papa" sitting with her among friends.

My eyes, I am sure, open just as wide, appreciating she wants me there at this time in her life.  I find it so important to be at Mass with her, on her turf so to speak, when she is feeling most independent among her friends.  It seems like one of many opportunities to sow seeds of positive emotional impressions and excitement to uncover together a greater understanding of our relationship to our Lord and his Church.  As we sit together, I am mindful of holding her close as we listen to the readings, because I want her to feel secure.  She does.  I know this because she presses closer.  Don't we all enjoy that as parents?  When they press closer. We all know this time is fleeting, so they are gems each time they occur.

The daily reading is followed by our priest routinely asking the children questions, and my oldest darts her hand, along with many others, into the air to questions she is confident in answering.

Her enthusiasm is both inspiring and something I don't want to take for granted, as it needs encouragement to continue to grow.  That enthusiasm found in her fundamental joy to be at Mass with family and friends, is a valuable witness to the character of her spiritual identity, still developing, strengthening and more and more capable to carry forward by the dignity of her life the message of Christ in the context of our rich Catholic history.  But, how will she know that history?  She will know her Catholic faith the same way we learn of any history, by those willing to teach directly and those who teach indirectly by example.

As with many fathers, I share the wonderful burden to teach my children the Catholic faith.  The importance of that teaching will result somewhere between a firm Catholic identity or one that wanes and is subject to cultural influences. As fathers, if we are able to articulate and live a rich Catholic faith, then we leave a tangible experience and reference point.  If we live a Catholic faith that is sparse, then our children will likely have little investment in what we did not place significant value to ourselves.  It is a wonderful burden, and awesome responsibility.

As good teachers, we equip our children with what they need to sustain themselves in any of life's circumstances.  With a firm spiritual character, they become a source of encouragement to others and able to transmit to subsequent generations born into the cradle of faith a tradition that is magnificent.

How great things have we heard and known, and our fathers have told us. Declaring the praises of the Lord, and his powers, and his wonders which he hath done and declare them to their children.  That that may put their hope in God and may not forget the works of God: and may seek his commandments (Psalm 78:3, 4bc, 6c-7).

Resources:

• Catholic Hymns, Gregorian Chant - Te lucis ante terminum
• How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization, by Thomas E. Wood Jr. (2005)
• Logos Bible Study
• The One True Faith: Mary and the Eucharist
• Vatican Museum (see Virtual online Tour, right column)
• YouTube/CatholicDads (see Know Your Faith)
• WordOnFire.org

Teaching a four and six year old about (dignity and miracle of) life

Each day parents are faced with issues of our time related to education, the economy, changing social norms and then the big one, dignity of life.  As parents it is important to take life’s challenges, show confidence in our Lord (John 16:33) and put issues in “digestible” terms for our children.

Around the dinner table, my daughters and I really, really enjoy a meal with white rice.  Recently, as we sat chatting about the day’s events, I recalled news in my mind on the right to life issue.  In a flash of inspiration, I picked-up a single grain and directed the conversation to how “Magnificent you are to me and how much I love you.” Each of my daughters’ eyes widened to hear my enthusiasm.  From there I proceed to reflect for them, “How magnificent is God our Father and what a miracle it is to be created by Him from something smaller than this grain of rice.”  By this point, I had the full attention of my girls as I held a single grain up with an out stretched hand and proceeded to point, “God is so wonderful, He made you, and you and me”.

“Really, Papa?” my oldest questioned.  “Yes.” I responded.  I continued, “And, then from there you became the size of the nail on your little pinkie.”  I pointed to each one’s little finger with the precision and gentleness as if to poke the Pillsbury dough boy in the tummy and then proceeded to shake my youngest daughter’s little finger with vigor, resulting in giggles all the way around.  From there, I persisted as their little faces reflected with amazement what their minds began to conceptualize and marvel at in the comparison of their current size with that little grain of white rice; which lead to some discussion on who they will become, “Someday, as big as me!”

“Wow!” exclaimed my oldest, jumping up to her little feet, as if to make herself stretch a little taller at this “teaching moment” to get there a little faster.

The dinner conversation was now theirs.  “Papa, were we smaller than that?” my oldest pointed to a stray half-grain of rice. “Yep…” I said confidently.  Then my youngest, grasping her own little finger, “Was I smaller than that?”  “Yep…” I said nodding my head again with a smile, “Can you believe it?”

That brief period of time over dinner, for me set the foundation for my daughters to grasp just how miraculous they are, and how their very existence fills me with great pleasure and love. From a tiny grain of rice is born the idea (albeit not fully formed for some years to come) that something so small (and smaller) can become so big and wonderful.  I am sure there will be many dinners that will challenge me to find creative ways to infuse the ideas of dignity and value packaged in such small miracles.  And, so will continue the education on the dignity and miracle of life.

The Miracle of Life - "The “Miracle of Life” shows us how amazing and wonderful the gift of “Life” is that God has blessed us with. Through incredible ultrasound video and photos we can actually see this miracle as we watch a baby develop in the womb. This video will make a great...illustration when you are preaching on the topics of abortion and sanctity of life" (Hyper Pixels Media).