The Bible Study guys were discussing Matthew, Chapter 10:16, where it says how we are sent out as lambs among wolves. A key point, I reflected, was that lambs and wolves are vastly different, and what do you do about that to begin communication? We discussed ways of sharing the faith to the wolves out there, but also spoke about our children who face a culture totally unlike when we were young. When we were their age, we were lambs among lambs, not hugely different. Our Christian youth today have fewer lamb friends than we had, and schoolmates and teachers are largely wolves. If a youth wants friends at school --- and all do --- most believe they must adapt to the wolves’ ways, but even if it is only play-acting at first, the repetitive effect of wolf-like actions soon become habits, and soon they become as atheist wolves, and then their family and the faith they started with becomes strange, and they choose friends over family, whom they now regard as simple as sheep.
The Gospel says if you are to follow Jesus you will have to choose Him over family, but our kids are choosing friends and culture over family or God. They want to fit in, in the world they see around them every day. “But what is the alternative” all Christian parents ask.
I see three alternatives for our young people. First, they choose to ignore the world and classmates, live a cloistered life with only God (and family, if they are Christ-centered) as focus. This is possible with God’s grace and large family support, but not an easy choice, although those intelligent enough to search for the meaning of life may get here. Second is to choose to go with the majority, the culture, and let them define the truth or the meaning/purpose of life (even if that truth changes every day). This is the alternative for those who put their personal happiness NOW above all else, a selfish option but one applauded by all around them (and sadly, often their parents). And then there is a third option: create a new world which is the focus of their need for community approval. The first option is only God approval, the second only the world approval, and the third is the approval of a select community which they and their family have sought out, or created. This “select community” is not a “church on Sunday” community, but rather a segment of the world which believes and acts and supports each other, a Christian faith community, and a faith community lived out in all ways --- with few exceptions --- which learns to love their enemies, but not do what they do.
Jesus started a faith community; it didn’t adapt to the world, but helped the world adapt to it, and it grew because the people could see in it a purpose for their lives, and it gave them happiness: “See how they love one another.”
For parents today, to help make this happen means to sacrifice for their kids. It might mean Catholic schools or home-schooling. It would mean supportive family prayer time, each day, and for a Christian focus in all activities and discussions --- the kids would need to see it lived out, happily. It might mean supporting Christian charities, with family time and/or money. It will take a strong will for parents to want to make their kids want to be different than the culture, and enjoy it --- and be an example others want to imitate. For most parents, it would mean giving up a focus on self and focusing on family first. It might mean initiating some Christian-focused activities if there are none around. It’s about daily living out your faith in all things, so it becomes the faith happily lived out by your children.
And all these things start with really knowing your faith. There are many ways to begin --- if you have the will to save your children, and the country. If you are now a “Sunday Catholic” it means beginning to live your faith each day, for your betterment, for your family’s betterment, for the world’s betterment. Starting out, it may be as a lost lamb searching for a flock, but there are many lost sheep just like you. You can create a flock.
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The Apostolate of Example
There is no one who cannot contribute to the spiritual good of his neighbor by giving the example of a life which is integrally Christian. … There would be no pagans if Christians were real Christians.
For a soul who seeks the truth, who seeks virtue, there is no difficulty in finding books and teachers who will present it in an attractive form, but there is much difficulty in finding persons whose lives give practical testimony to it. … Jesus taught us to act in such a way that our good works might be a silent encouragement toward good for those who see them: “So let your light shine before men that they might see your good works.” “Let the actions be public, while the intention remains hidden” (St Gregory).
“O Lord, You teach me that I can help my neighbor if I fulfill my duty, … especially the law of love by which we teach goodness to those who offend us. Good example has more influence on worldly people than miracles. Help me, then, O Lord, to lead a holy life and to do good works, so that those who see me may praise Your Name (St John Chrysostom).
--- Divine Intimacy, Meditation 327
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And as God so often does, I heard a related comment on these thoughts as I listened to the Bible in a Year podcast, where they spoke of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 as being the key texts of the Bible for the Jewish people. They reference there only being one God, you must teach your children this, and your house should be as a temple for you, with these words written on your doorpost. These words were given to the Jewish people as a recipe for how to succeed in living in a foreign land with strange gods --- kind of like Christians are now experiencing in America --- so those critical words for the Jewish people now apply to us, today also.
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