As a parent I sometimes struggle with how to teach my children about the world they see around them. And lets face it, there are some things going on in this world that are hard to explain, especially to younger children. There are lifestyles and images of people that I may not agree with. Just how am I supposed to turn around and teach my children the complexities of these things, when I struggle with them myself?
This is when I delve into the root of my faith. As a Christian Catholic the foundation of my faith has been based on this scripture:
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27
We are taught that we are to uphold the dignity of every person...not just the ones who do right, not just the ones who make correct choices, not just the ones that are most like us, not just the ones who share our faith...ALL people. It is a faith that calls us to compassion and unity. We are not called to teach tolerance, but rather to live in a community in which the dignity of every person is held in esteem. And let me just say, that can sometimes be a tall order!
I'm often reminded of the words of a teacher I had as a child, "Look for Jesus in every person you meet, He is there. And sometimes you may be the only person to recognize him." How very true.
I feel blessed to sit in a pew each Sunday and listen to the scriptures and how they relate to my faith and our lives. I'm equally blessed to listen to my Priest as he teaches us how to love, not hate. How to embrace our differences, not ridicule or demean them. How to be what God wants us to be, not what society deems appropriate.
So when my child asks difficult questions about this world around them, I may stumble at times, but in the end I am confident that between their parents, their church, and their God they will find the right answers.
That is my Memorable Moment for this Monday...
3 comments:
Always a struggle--and I was not always verbal enough to have ready answers for my own children. Maybe it was because I was answering those questions for myself as I went along. I always pray hard that God will teach me how to love others as God loves them. Whew! THAT is hard sometimes!
Wonderfully said! Your children are so blessed to have you for a Mommy!
Thanks Smockity, I've had some good mentors along the way...some lived across the street:)
I do have to repeat this verse a lot so I don't forget and then sometimes I still do and then I just tell God later, "Keep working on me, I'll get it eventually!!".
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