Tonight we had another smooth running middle school and high school program. I’m just impressed with how enthusiastic the minsiters are and how respectful the teens have been. We do have a bit of a cell phone problem but to tell you the truth I’m not too concerned. We’ll just have to address it sooner than later…but it’s funny how it’s more of a problem with the middle school teens.
It’s amazing how many questions we get about confirmation, I’m tempted to email some of the necessary people to create a dialogue about it, because as great as people are about preaching the beauty of this sacrament I feel as if it’s not getting through to people. I feel as if I’m constantly doing parents a favor by having to teach their kids catechesis when in the end the primary responsibility falls on the family. I want to know when we stopped feeling responsible for teaching our kids about faith. We do such a good job with spelling, basic math and other life lessons, but when it comes to faith we just let it go. When did faith become such a chore?
I’m not a parent and I’m not going to judge them on not knowing what to do because I don’t think the issue is a parent issue. I think the issue of why we get our teens confirmed is because of how highly regarded this sacrament is in the church. But to achieve…better yet, to receive (because God’s love is not about achieving considering it’s always there) this sacrament is not about doing something but becoming something. It’s a life long process, if a teen doesn’t want to participate in preparation then figure out why, don’t force them. If they are doing it because that’s what they feel as if they should be doing then that’s not right. They need to want it, they need to want it badly.
On the day of Pentecost the apostles wanted it badly, they wanted to be a part of Christ, spread Christ and live out His message badly, they just weren’t sure about how to do it. They were given the Holy Spirit and then they figured it out. I don’t expect the teens to know how to have a relationship with Christ I just want them to want to have a relationship with Christ.
Like I said I’m not a parent but what I want for these teens is hopefully the same thing I’ll want for mine. I want the teens of Nativity, the teens I encounter to fall deeply and passionatley in love with our Lord in Savior Jesus Christ. Because through Him we gain eternal life, with Him we change lives and because of Him life has a purpose.