To seek the Lord is my quest in life; to find the Lord is my strength for life!

To seek the Lord is my quest in life; to find the Lord is my strength for life!

Throughout life we look to the heavens hoping for a sign that assures us we are wanted.  How often we as flesh and blood have a need to be held, comforted, and wanted by our mother who bore us.  Walk into any hospital and enter the new-born nursery while the babies are reaching out for comforting arms assuring them in some manner someone cares for them.  These new children are blessed if there is at least one parent who cuddles and holds them close to their bosom.  Unfortunately, there are many more who are born out of wed-lock that linger for long hours without the human touch of love and concern.  These are the forgotten souls that make up an astounding number of an empty future and O how many die without ever being held, kissed, and comforted in the arms of another human being.  

From the first moment a baby has made it through the birthing canal and can breathe the fresh air that promises life, they are vulnerable to the absence of someone who cares and will give their own life for the sake of this wonder of God’s Creation of human life. 

It is a miracle from God that allows two parents (mother and father) the ability to procreate and raise a child who is a gift from God.  Each of us has the gifts to not only bring a child into the world, but we have an obligation  to introduce them to the Lord of life and grow in his love.  The heading of “To seek the Lord is my quest” should become the one desire every new-born should be led to find.  “To find the Lord will become the strength for each person to enjoy and learn his very pleasure of nurturing human life as if it was his own.  Well, through Christ it is his very persona that came about when the Incarnation brought Christ and each of us into the promise of eternal life as one.  (see Jn 17: 22 - 23).  (The priestly prayer before his Passion). 

Parents must regard their children as “children of God” and respect them as human persons.   Showing themselves obedient to the will of the Father in heaven, they educate their children to fulfill God’s law.  (CCC 2222).

The children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray.   The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  (Mt 19: 13 - 14).  

A child is not something owed to one, but is a gift.   The supreme gift of marriage is a human person.  A child may not be considered a piece of property, an idea to which an alleged “right to a child” would lead.  In this area, only the child possesses genuine rights: the right to be fruit of the specific act of the conjugal love of his parents,” and “the right to be respected as a person from the moment of his conception.”  (CCC 2378).

Strength in the Lord becomes the answer to searching for and finding Christ in our life.

Ralph B. Hathaway