Posts Tagged ‘Witnesses for Christ; Importance of Family’

Witnessing for Christ in Our Families

Sunday, May 12th, 2013

Ascension

Acts 1: 1-11; Heb 9: 24-28, 10: 19-23; Luke 24: 46-53

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

Guess what?  You are called today to be witnesses of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.  Yes, you, not just the Apostles and the Church that followed after them, but you and I, too.  That was Jesus parting shot to his followers as he ascended to heaven some 2000 years ago today.  And in this day and age, I can think of no better way for us to give witness to Christianity than through our families.

First, let me make an observation.  Do you people out there realize how lucky most of you are?  Most of you live or lived in a family with a Mom and a Dad.  Did you know that 4 out of every 10 children born today are born to unwed mothers.  But in our community and parish, most of you are lucky enough to have both a Mom and a Dad.  And that makes a tremendous difference in how well children will do in today’s world.  For example, there are statistics that show that 4 of every 5 children that are either drop outs from school, run-aways from home, sent to jail, became pregnant as a teen, or commit suicide, came from single parent homes- 4 of every 5 in these categories.

Today, we are celebrating Mother’s Day.  So thank God for these wonderful women who gave you life, nurtured and cared for you, and are providing you a strong Christian Home.  Be especially thankful if you are living in a single parent home for the parent that you have who is protecting you from these awful trends.

And parents, especially the Mom’s today, you need to understand the tremendous influence you have over your children.  It is a very sobering thought isn’t it, that the absence of one of you in your children’s lives can make such a difference as the statistics I quoted above indicated.

But you see, it’s because you Mom’s and Dad’s truly are witnesses.  You are witnesses to a way of life.  And as witnesses, your children will copy that way of life.  From that early age where Moms especially are everything to their children, parents become sacred to their children.  They provide love, security, safety, food, and shelter.  And then, later on, they provide example, values and morals, and inspiration.  All of that is an awesome responsibility.

Now this morning, as we hear of Jesus Ascension, the scriptures raise a very important issue about being a Christian Witness because the scriptures point to the meaning of life.  You see, Jesus was resurrected in the body and ascended to heaven.  And, as Paul says to the Hebrews in the second reading, “Jesus removed the veil that separates us from the Father at death, that is, the flesh”.  And He stood before the Father on our behalf so that we could follow after Him when we die.  Indeed, as Paul says, Christ “…will bring salvation to all who eagerly await him”.  So, you and I are called to be witnesses, especially to our children, of all of that- the real meaning of life.  And that is that when we die we have membership forever in the Kingdom of God if we repent of our sins and follow the Gospel.

But you know, it is very hard for us to understand that when we are young.  When we are young and life is ahead of us, we are preoccupied with living out our talents, with doing something meaningful in the world; with finding a loving partner and soul mate; and with raising children of our own.  But ultimately, every one of us will die to this world and so, we simply must understand that living life to the fullest requires the right perspective- one in which we live out our Christian faith.  Children depend on their parents for that perspective.

Yes, the good people in the Prep Program and the school have your children several hours a week.  They try to focus the children on God and the meaning of life.  But you Moms and Dads have your children 24-7.  What you do and say about your faith speaks louder than anything the Prep and the School people can say.  The question for you parents today is what kind of witnesses are you to your children?

I think that communications is the key to being a Christian witness.  And in today’s world, communications is tough with all the distractions- like TV, cell phones, Facebook, iPOD music, sports and the commitments that all of the children have.  So every family needs some prime time dedicated to communications.  You need to know what’s going on inside your children’s heads; and they need to know that your life is driven by your Christian values.  And then, you need to talk about it with each other- share it with each other.

Let me suggest three things that can really help.  First, try eating together as a family, preferably every evening but at least several times a week.  And that means eating and sharing with each other- no TV, no ear-buds, no exceptions.  Find out how your days went from each other and talk about things- be a witness to each other.  Second, pray together as a family.

And it’s more than just grace at meals- but other forms of prayer- like saying the rosary as a family or the Divine Mercy chaplet.  And lastly, worship as a family each week just like you are doing today.  Let the world know that you all believe- together.

All of us want the best for our children and our families.  As Jesus parted this world, he promised us the Spirit.  And in a few days, we will celebrate the coming of the Spirit.  The Spirit gives us the strength, vitality, energy, and fortitude to make a difference in our lives.  Whether you are a Mom, Dad, Uncle, Aunt, or Grandparent, make the time available, no matter what, and use that strength to be a witness for Christ to your family!