Those who are blessed with children might wonder if they are listening.
Recently while the lector read the third reading during the Easter vigil, a little boy who lives with his parents somewhere south of the Platte River in the Diocese of Lincoln heard these words, “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea, split the sea in two, that the Israelites may pass through it on dry land. But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate that they will go in after them. Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots and charioteers. The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I receive glory through Pharaoh and his chariots and charioteers.’ ”
We all know what happened next. It was then his dad felt a little elbow and a whisper from his little son, “Dad, I bet those Egyptians go into the water like they did last year!” It was the same little boy who told his father the previous year that when the white cloth on the cross replaces the purple one, he can eat candy.
Yes, our children are watching and listening to the actions and words of their parents. The words and actions are under microscopes. The children are watching closely, oftentimes unknown by their mothers and fathers. If their parents are humble, prayerful, and generous, the children will have a greater chance of being so when they reach adult life.
In other words, children should be imitating their parents who are imitating Jesus Christ who is truly risen.
In a marvelous little book entitled, The Imitation of Christ, in the 56th chapter of the third book it says, “Follow me: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn 14:6). Without the Way, there is no going; without the Truth, there is no knowing; without the Life, there is no living. I am the Way you must follow; the Truth which you must believe; the Life which you must hope for.
What a horrifying thought. Without Jesus Christ, a person is not going the way they were called to from all eternity, as the truth is either rejected or unknown while not living in communion with Him who died and rose from the dead.
I know that things do not happen out of a vacuum. When children conduct projects to benefit Catholic Social Services and St. Gianna’s, it is because of the example of their parents. And the adults who support us, it is because of the example of their parents or some other person or persons who were influential in their early lives. All have one thing in common - they listened when they were young to the voice of the Holy Spirit which led to imitating Jesus Christ.
I would like to once again thank our many benefactors who assist us spiritually with their prayers and penances, materially with donated items not needed around their homes and farms (including vehicles) and financially with a cash donation according to their means as they follow Jesus Christ our Risen Savior, because He is our Way, our Truth and our Life!
