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Psalm 78:5, 8 "He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children; ... that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God."

 

I am often mystified at the "kids these days", in disbelief at the things they believe and don't believe, and frustrated and sad at their turning away from the faith. Yet, I have to admit that my generation is somewhat, or even largely, responsible for this state of affairs. We have been a stubborn and rebellious generation, our hearts were not steadfast, our spirits were not faithful.

 

I'm certain there are some who were always steadfast in the faith (and thank God for them, they kept the whole thing afloat while the rest of us prioritized other things), but practically everyone I meet who is on this journey back to God I find myself on has the same story that I do. We were raised in the faith, but either stopped practicing altogether, or became lax in our practice. Our hearts were not in it, our spirits were seeking other things. And we were the baptized! The rest of the world didn't even have the faith to guide them, and it grew more and more depraved as a result. We would look at that and think we were still "good Catholics" because we didn't engage in the worst of worldly behaviors, and we went to Mass (usually, or sometimes), and we sent our kids to Catholic school or religious education classes.

 

Looking back on it all after having my heart converted, I realize how terrible I was at teaching my children. If I didn't have a true love of God, His law, and His Church, how could I possibly give it to my children? I couldn't, and I didn't. When I complain that "our children are not like their fathers", thinking that if they were they'd be in great shape, I am so off-base. They are not like us, they rejected the weak, meaningless faith we were purporting to practice, and rightly so. Now that I have found the incredible gift that faith really is, I want to give it to them, but they are no longer under my influence.

 

But just as God worked in my life and the lives of so many with whom I am on this journey, I have to trust that He will do the same for the next generation. He loves them, He will find a way to get to them just as He did for me.

 

_________________________

 

Trust Me

Do you believe that I am the Son of God?
And do you believe that I died for all men
and women and that I rose from the dead?
Then why do you continue to be distracted
and anxious about your loved ones?
Do they not also belong to me?
Would I refuse to work in their lives
just as I work in yours?

I have not put you in charge of
redeeming them.
I have already done that.
Nor do you have the power to
change their hearts;
only my Holy Spirit searches
and knows the deepest
hearts of men and women,
and only He can heal their deepest wounds.

Your task is to love, to forgive, to pray for
them and to turn them over to Me.
Come closer to Me yourself,
and I will do the rest.
TRUST ME!

(Author unknown; revised)