To the Ends of the Earth: Witness – Week 2, Day 2 – We Must Be Solid Witnesses of the Faith for Our Children

“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

   incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

I will open my mouth in a parable;

   I will utter dark sayings from of old,

things that we have heard and known,

   that our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children,

   but tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,

   and the wonders which he has wrought.”

Psalm 78:1–4

As fathers, we hope our values will be passed on to our children. The good news is that they will. The bad news is that we often pass on the wrong values to our children. Are we workaholic fathers who never have time for our families? Are we addicted to drinking or drugs, our possessions or our fantasies? Do we care more about our unmet dreams than the future of our children? What holds first place in our lives?

As Catholic men, we have the unique privilege of handing on the biblical values that have been handed down to us. Do we take the time to attend Mass, to pray with our sons and daughters, to seek out other men who will hold us accountable as husbands and fathers, and to live out the example set for us by Jesus Christ? If we want future generations to experience strength in the midst of struggle, peace in the midst of problems, and faith in the midst of fire, we need to pass on the lessons we have learned, even if we first need to relearn them ourselves. Our words and our everyday example should show our children what it means to be a believer in Jesus Christ.

Questions for reflection

What poor examples have you passed on to your children that you wish you could erase? What steps can you take today to undo some of the damage that has been done?

What about your Catholic faith do you feel is most crucial to hand down to your children?

What false ideas or bad habits do you need to transform through Christ in order to become a better witness to your children?

Praying with Scripture

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare will they give you. (Prv 3:1–2)

You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth Series HERE

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