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Week 2

Invest in the Future

“Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children — how on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’”

Deuteronomy 4:9–10

As men, our children change us in ways we cannot fully understand. The helpless, innocent life of a child can melt our hearts and cause us to reevaluate our lives. As our children grow, we face the incredible responsibility of leading them into adulthood with love and discipline, sharing our Catholic Faith. The witness of our lives will help shape the character of our children and the goals they will take on in life. Yet we often fail in that task. Before we know it, our children are all grown up, and we must stand back and hope that we have given them what they need to face the world. It is a sobering responsibility!

Every word we speak and every deed we do has the power and potential to shape the lives of our children. As Catholic men, we have a sobering responsibility to be a strong, stable, and wise witness to the ones God has given us. This applies not only to our own children, but to all those who are being brought up in the Catholic Faith. How we shape our children will ultimately shape the Church to which they belong. What should this look like? This week we will consider five key ideas:

1. As fathers our foundation is God alone.

Many fathers today base their childrearing on psychology, current culture, or a generic set of values. But as Catholics our parenting must rest on the rock-solid foundation of Christ and his Church. As we share the message of the gospel, we are raising up godly offspring who will, in turn, become bearers of the gospel to future generations.

2. We must be solid witnesses of the Faith for our children.

Our children very often become like us, imitating our ways and following our lead without even realizing it. We must be fully invested in our faith so that our children can follow the right path to heaven’s door, helping to build their own families and the Church along the way.

3. Investing in our children is not a single event, but an ongoing effort.

We must continuously place the truth of the gospel before our children by talking about our faith, leading by example, and teaching with determination. It is these daily investments of faith and love that will encourage our children to lead a grace-filled life.

4. Witnessing to our children demands a fully integrated life.

We cannot offer a surface-level faith to our children, only showing up at Church to fulfill our “obligations.” Our faith must be integrated fully into our lives and pour forth into the lives of others with the passion and love of our Savior. Our witness cannot be meaningless words and reluctant duties, but must be wholly a part of our daily walk with Christ.

5. We must be approachable, strong, and loving fathers.

We must lead our children to Jesus (cf. Mt 19:13–15) and bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (cf. Eph 6:4). As we invest in our children’s faith, we help them to become all that God calls them to be.

This Week’s Call to Action

This week find ways to invest in the lives of your children. If you do not have children of your own, look for the children God has placed in your life and invest in their lives. Spend time praying for their needs. Engage in quality activities with them and pass on your faith. Affirm them and build them up through your words and actions, letting them know they are beautiful, full of potential, and worthy of love. Teach them about Jesus and let them know he has a unique call for their lives. Encourage them to grow in their faith and to become all they can be in Christ.

Sunday

Investing in our children is crucial for the future of the Church. This week we will consider how this should play out in our lives as fathers, whether physically or spiritually. Whatever our vocation, whether to marriage or single life, God calls each man in his Church to be a father to others. It is critical to answer this call and live it out by investing in the lives of these little ones. Investing in children is investing in the future of the Church. It is a daily effort that transforms us as it transforms the world.

As you celebrate the Eucharist this Sunday, meditate on the fact that the Catholic Church is the largest and longest-running “investment agency” ever. Each member of the Mystical Body contributes to the lasting legacy of our faith. The story of salvation is an individual and communal journey, as the Bride of Christ readies herself for the Bridegroom. Spend time celebrating our unity and your place in the family of faith.

This week come up with some specific ways you can invest more fully in the lives of your children and the children of the Church. Come up with one or two positive actions you will act on in the coming days, and write them down.

Questions for reflection

How can you invest more into the lives of your children and the children of the Church?

If you are not a father, how can you invest in the children God has placed in your life, whether through action or prayer?

How can you help your brothers invest more fully in the lives of their children?

Praying with Scripture

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prv 22:6).

Monday

As Fathers Our Foundation Is God Alone

“Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it.”

Matthew 7:24–27

Family tension is an ever-present reality in this fallen world. The only real solution to the conflicts that arise between parents and children is Jesus Christ. Without Jesus as the foundation of our lives, our faith, and our families, we will ultimately fail in our task as parents.

As the gospel reminds us, it is the foundation of the house that will determine whether it will last. Building materials, architectural styles, and everything else are secondary to that key component. In the same way modern psychology, spiritual enlightenment, and manly principles cannot hold the structure of a family together if the base of the house has been set on shaky ground. As men, if we fail to provide that sturdy gospel foundation through the witness of our lives, our families will suffer and our children may not be able to withstand the storms of life. Only as our lives are grounded in Christ can we build our families and our Church on a rock-solid faith that will endure into eternity.

Questions for reflection

How have modern, man-made parenting tools let you down and proved to be a poor witness of gospel values to your children?

What does building on the foundation of Christ look like for a modern Catholic father? How are you following Christ’s call to share his message of hope with future generations?

Are there specific things you need to change in order to build your home on the rock of Christ?

Praying with Scripture

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Ps 127:1).

Tuesday

We Must Be Solid Witnesses of the Faith for Our Children

“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings from of old,

things that we have heard and known,

that our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children,

but tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,

and the wonders which he has wrought.”

Psalm 78:1–4

As fathers, we hope our values will be passed on to our children. The good news is that they will. The bad news is that we often pass on the wrong values to our children. Are we workaholic fathers who never have time for our families? Are we addicted to drinking or drugs, our possessions or our fantasies? Do we care more about our unmet dreams than the future of our children? What holds first place in our lives?