Father Joseph Noonan, OFM
The Resurrection and New Life
The thought of life in a family is as natural and essential as life in general. God so ordained that new life would come into this world in the married state. Proper order has displayed itself from the beginning of man’s life on this earth. Man has largely abided by God’s command even in today’s Godless generation.
Those who marry ought to want children. God or the Church does not tell us the number of children a couple should have. God simply desires that the married have children.
One wonders how many Catholic couples raise children with the purpose of wanting to set a spiritual foundation to have their children become saints. Yes, it is understood that all good parents want their children to go to Heaven but how many actually know how to go about providing a home environment and a solid Catholic education to make this possible.
One cannot overlook what can only be described as ignorance of the fact that virtue needs to be taught in such a way that the desire to strive for supernatural virtue should be a top priority. One fully realizes that parents teach the children to be good and avoid that which is bad, but too often it remains on the natural level, not the supernatural level.
Here is the point related to this article’s topic. Each knowledgeable Catholic knows he must be in the state of grace in order for their soul to have supernatural life. This life continues unless a person falls into mortal sin. If this occurs, the soul is dead until the person goes to Confession and is absolved from his sins. Parents must be attentive to the spiritual state of their children.
One can recall many years ago when this writer was a young boy still in the parish church where he grew up. During the summer months the Mass servers were scheduled to serve a week at a time but too many of them neglected this responsibility. I was often called upon to serve multiple weeks which I gladly did. My question is this. Where were the parents who should have urged their sons to serve during their assigned weeks. I am able to recall some of the students from this Catholic elementary school who neglected their Sunday obligation along with their parents. It would seem the souls of such parents were dead and did not care about the souls of their children. How many Catholic parents are truly concerned with the life of their own soul and that of their children?
The feast of the Resurrection is one of great joy and hope. Holy Mother Church desires to emphasize to all Catholics the need to rejoice at the greatest of victories. Saint Paul emphasizes in the Epistle of the Resurrection of the need to become a new dough (life). The challenge for Catholics each year is to make an earnest effort to do just that, i.e., strive to have a fruitful Lent so as to be blessed by God during the Easter Season.
Parents are called upon to lead their children in all matters, especially those concerning the One True Faith and their immortal souls. They first need to lead by example. Attending Mass and receiving the Sacraments is of the utmost importance. Children will usually follow the parent’s example. A good example will bring good results. A bad example will bring bad results. Parents are called upon to be beacons of light. This light will lead the way as long as they are proactive in both example and instruction.
How do Catholic parents celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord? Yes, it should begin with attendance at Mass and reception of the Sacraments. Is there any celebration in the home? Besides a special meal, is there any instruction especially for young children? Was there any instruction during Holy Week?
Catholics usually decorate their homes for Our Lord’s Birth and the Christmas Season. There may be a few decorations for Our Lord’s Resurrection and the Easter Season. If Catholics celebrated a feast in their homes according to the rank of feast, then Our Lord’s Resurrection would be celebrated in a greater manner than Christmas. That obviously is not the case. The point is more about parental instruction and active acknowledgement of a solemn feast. Do parents read the appropriate verses from Scripture during these Holy Seasons? Do you have a Bible in your home?
The Spring of the year brings with it new life. Flowers, trees and other plant life blooms in the Spring. It is a beautiful time of the year. There are many animals which give birth during this time. It would seem these occurrences are all Providential. The newness of life projects a positive, happy outlook after a dormant, gray winter. It more importantly provides us with an explanation of Christ’s Resurrection.
Imagine a world where there was no new life. Trees gave no seeds for more trees. Dogs and cats never gave birth to their own. There was only one generation of trees, dogs, cats and a multitude of other plants and animals. Everything you see in this world ceased to exist because there was no way for it to continue in the realm of nature. All means of self-preservation stopped because there was no mechanism (purpose) to make it possible to continue. What a strange, different world that would be.
This is the importance of Our Lord’s Resurrection. His victory over death and sin provides one with the purpose for which to continue. In the same way a parent works each day to feed and shelter his family, so does the New Life of Christ give each person who believes in His Resurrection the reason to continue.
The person who marries has hope of a life with another. He has hope of having children in order “to be fruitful and multiply.” The Catholic parent has hope of raising children so one day they will go to Heaven.
It is an unfortunate fact that so few Catholic parents have a correct view of parenthood. Some do learn after years of formal and informal education, while others are no different than their pagan friends and family.
The New Life of the Christ’s Resurrection gives life, marriage and the family a purpose to continue. Life’s Good Friday gives one the reason and purpose to continue with hope of one’s own resurrection. Saint Paul has told us that if it had not been for the Resurrection of Our Lord, our religion would be in vain.
The spiritual life of the Catholic is such that it needs to be renewed from time to time. The liturgical year provides all Catholics, especially parents, with the purpose of carrying on with family life despite the heavy burdens which often accompany it. One here sees the wisdom of Christ and the Church in providing the Sacraments through which one may be given the graces to continue and persevere.
One of the most important elements of parental life is to teach children. Catholic parents are called upon to teach the Catholic Faith. The Easter Season has many wonderful lessons for Catholic children. Take the opportunity during this Holy Season to teach them the wonder of Our Lord’s Resurrection and the new life one hopes to obtain in eternity.