The slow down of summer has ground to a halt. Summer work schedules, and the kids are back off to school. This is our first Sunday post Labor Day, and I am thrilled to see that you have all returned. Time to get back to it all. While it is extremely late, it’s not too late to register for Families of Faith if you just haven’t gotten around to it, but come on, let’s prioritize faith formation for our children about as much as we prioritize getting our kids into the Ivy Leagues for College!
What do we do to make that happen? We drive them to travel league sports, give up family dinners for practices or rehearsals. We buy that super rare instrument so that they can get 1st chair in that orchestra. We give up our weekends to travel for tournaments. We hire expensive tutors to get the grades, we make sure they have the best test prep for the ACTs and SATs and any other acronymed test. We do these things in hope that they will be successful in life, that they can (maybe) do better than we have, so that they can live an easier and more fulfilling life. It’s a great goal, but the truth is, unfortunately even this shall pass. In reality, life is fleeting, and we have to look to even more eternal goals.
We want what’s best for our children, I think that is somewhat universal. The things that are eternal have to do with our relationship with God. What did we do to make the world like heaven on earth? What can we do to build that important relationship now, so that we can continue that on well past our earthly life. There used to be a time when we worried about hellfire and brimstone. The material imagery we use to illuminate a spiritual reality. When we fail to attain heaven, it is because we’ve rejected a relationship with God our Creator. God is the source of all that is good and perfect. We choose to be distant from Him, from that.
How miserable do we feel when we are distanced from the ones we love: When we lose them to death, or physical distance? How terrible do children feel if they perceive that their parents don;’t care about them, because they are always busy, or on their devices instead of interacting with them? I imagine that this sort of loss echoes what it is like to be separated from God, just it would be an eternal feeling.
There are two gifts we can give to our children as the school year begins. Let us share with them our presence, and a great experience of relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This week, as a community, let us pray for the families of our parish, both present, and absent, that they can be better equipped to provide their children with the back to school, and back to God essentials. God Bless and have an excellent week.