To the Ends of the Earth: Witness – Week 2, Day 3 – Investing in Our Children Requires Ongoing Effort

Mark C. McCann | 02/05/2025

“And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:6–9

Christianity demands ongoing, daily effort, or else we are not living it well. While we often talk about a single moment of conversion in our lives, there is a deeper dimension to salvation that extends from eternity to the cross and on to the Second Coming. God imparts his grace to sinners to give us all we need to work out our salvation and grow into the people he has called us to be. As Catholics, we know there is no true distinction between salvation and sanctification; it is one journey begun at Baptism, unfolding over the course of each day, and culminating in our final union with Christ in heaven.

We cannot separate our faith life from our witness. We are commanded to pass on the teachings of our faith to our children. It is a deliberate, daily effort to speak about our faith and to back up what we say with the example of our lives. God’s word and the Church’s teachings must go from our heads and hearts to our hands, as we work out so great a salvation by our ongoing efforts to pass on the Faith and lead our children into the kingdom by all we say and do.

Questions for reflection

How does your own spiritual growth enable you to help future generations grow in faith?

Where is God calling you to labor with more generosity in the Church’s ongoing journey of salvation as you pass on your faith to others, especially your children?

How can you help a brother who may be tempted to give up continuing in his in faith?

Praying with Scripture

“Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” (Mk 10:14)

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

You can watch and listen to this devotion HERE

More Stories By :

To the Ends of the Earth: Action – Week 5, Day 1 - No Matter How Well Things Are Going, We Can Stumble at Any Moment

To the Ends of the Earth: Legacy – Week 10, Day 4 – We Are Called to Make Disciples, Baptize, and Teach

New Christmas Hymns - Jesus, Our Sweet Christmas Savior

To the Ends of the Earth: Character – Week 1, Day 4 - A Cultivator is a Sacramental Man

To the Ends of the Earth: Legacy – Week 7, Day 2 – Trust Triumphs over Doubt and Fear

New Christmas Hymns - Lowly Shepherds

To the Ends of the Earth: Character – Week 8, Day 4 - Being Frail Means We Can Stop Worrying

To the Ends of the Earth: Action – Week 2, Day 3 – We Must Allow the Sea of Our Troubles to Toss Us About

About the Author

Mark C. McCann

website

Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.