Lenten Reflection, March 13th, Psalm 78

5 He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children; 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn,and rise up and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God,and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; 8 and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation,a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

My thoughts...

As parents, we are charged with raising our children to know and love God. Faith, in this day and age is a difficult concept to relay to our children. They ask "why?" My answer, "Because." It is just the way that faith is. You cannot understand nor explain it. But it is something that our children need to be armed with in this ever-changing world. How can we raise children in these troubled times without giving them a basis on which to ground themselves, and feel that they have a sense of who they are and whose they are? That is why it is called "faith."

I was part of a "stubborn and rebellious generation," and perhaps many of us were. But I will say that my faith sustained me, even as a 13 year old teenager. I served as the only acolyte each and every Sunday for many years. I wore t-shirts, much to my mother's dismay. The fact of the matter was, I was there. I served my God in my own way. Now that my children are making their own way in their religious lives, I struggle with the outfits, the shoes and the opinions that might be held in judgement.

I realize now, that my children's God is their God. That relationship is up to them. Our job as parents is to give them the framework within which they can define that relationship, and guide them as they see fit.

Suzanne