P<\/span>arenting is all it\u2019s cracked up to be \u2026 and more. Personally, it took having children to help me to begin to understand my own parents. And I believe it took the blessing of children for me to better understand God. Honestly, children have helped me to better understand myself. As a priest, I learn lots about the human condition. That human condition always includes parents. We all have them, some of us are them. Regardless, as I\u2019m sure you know, it ain\u2019t easy.<\/p>\nThe Lord knows our condition. He knows it\u2019s not easy. It should go without saying that He, God the Father, knows is ain\u2019t easy. Then again, he knows that in our fallen state we cannot properly appreciate the nature of parenting. Therefore He had to command us: \u201cHonour thy father and thy mother\u201d [Exodus 20:12; 10 Commandments].<\/p>\n
When we see our children hurt, failing, humiliated \u2013 we can rest assured that God the Father knows what that\u2019s like; God the Son has filled that child\u2019s shoes. When we don\u2019t understand why our children do the things they do, God the Father understands \u2013 even me and you. When we\u2019re tempted and struggle and are at our wit\u2019s end, God the Son\u2019s been there before us and will be till the end. In all of these struggles, parents and children alike, we beg God the Holy Spirit to fill us and strengthen us for this long and worthy fight.<\/p>\n
O God, our Father, bind together in Thine all-embracing love every family on earth. Banish anger and bitterness with homes, nourish forgiveness and peace. Bestow upon parents wisdom and patience that they may gently exercise the disciplines of love, and call forth from their children their greatest virtue and highest skill. Instill in children such independence and self-respect that they may freely obey their parents and grow in the joys of compansionship. Open the hearts to hear the truth within the words another speaks. Open the eyes to see the example of virtuous parents, open hearts to complete forgiveness and understanding of all things willed by Thee, O Creator and Sustainer of families.<\/em><\/p>\n\u2013 St Augustine<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Parenting is all it\u2019s cracked up to be \u2026 and more. Personally, it took having children to help me to begin to understand my own parents. And I believe it took the blessing of children for me to better understand God. Honestly, children have helped me to better understand myself. As a priest, I learn […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1691,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a>P<\/span>arenting is all it\u2019s cracked up to be \u2026 and more. Personally, it took having children to help me to begin to understand my own parents. And I believe it took the blessing of children for me to better understand God. Honestly, children have helped me to better understand myself. As a priest, I learn lots about the human condition. That human condition always includes parents. We all have them, some of us are them. Regardless, as I\u2019m sure you know, it ain\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n