Godparents/GodchildrenSunday&Grandparent/GrandchildrenSundayReflectionbyFr.LukeVeronisHowmanyofusknowofsomeonewhosays,“Ibelievethatyouhavetogivechildrenthefreedomto

learnontheirown.Youshouldn’tforceyourownbeliefsuponthem.Letthemdiscovertruthforthemselvesgradually,astheygrowup.”ThisisacommonmantraIhaveheardfrompeoplenotcommittedtoanyreligiousfaith.Howdowerespondtothat?Well,whenonepriestheardthiscomment,heinvitedthepersontocomeandseethebeautifulgardenhehadbehindthechurch.Thisskepticwasafondloverofflowersandgardens,sotheyfollowedthepriestenthusiastically.Astheylookedbehindthechurch,though,theysawafieldcoveredwithweeds.Everyfewfeet,onecouldseeabeautifulflowertryingtopopupitshead,yeteverywheredominatedthethornsandthistle.Astheskepticlookedwithaperplexedglance,thepriesthighlighted,“Thereisabeautifulgardenhere,butitishiddenunderthemanyweedsandthornsfightingforspace.Tobringforththebeautyofthegarden,agardenermustweeditcontinuously,waterit,nourishandcarefortheflowers,sothattheyincreaseandgrow,whiletheweedsdecreaseanddiminish.IFoneletsthefieldonitsown,itwillnaturallybefullofweeds.”

Aren’tourchildrenandyouthlikethisgarden?Fullofgreatpotential,butinneedofmuchcareandcultivation.Therearemanyinfluencesbattlingfortheirattentioninourworldtoday.Onlywhenweprotectthem,nourishthem,prunethem,andcareforthem,cantheygrowintothebeautifulflowerstheyweremeanttobe!”

St.TheofantheRecluse,oneofthemostfamousRussiansaints,said,“Ofallholyworks,theeducationofchildrenisthemostholy.”

WeseethespeciallovethatChristhadforchildreninthestorywherepeoplewerebringinglittlechildrentoJesusforhimtoblessthem.Hisdisciplesrebukedtheparents,thinkingthatJesuswastoobusytobebotheredwithinsignificantchildren.Christ,howeversurprisedhisdisciplesbysaying,“Letthechildrencometome,donothinderthem,fortosuchasthesebelongstheKingdomofGod.TrulyItellyou,anyonewhowillnotreceivethekingdomofGodlikealittlechildwillneverenterit.”Mk10:14

Childrenholdsuchanessentialpartinthelivesofmany.Whetherweareparents,grandparents,godparents,uncles,aunts,orteachers,mostofusholdcertainchildrendeartoourlives.Theybringusjoy,aswellasheartache.Theyliftourspirits,aswellaschallengeourpatienceandendurance.Theyareablessingtous,justaswearecalledtobeablessingtothem.

CaringforourchildrenandraisingthembythegraceofGod,isasacred,yetsobering,blessedyetchallengingresponsibility.Thatiswhyparentsoftenneedtheassistanceofothers,likegrandparents,godparents,uncles,aunts,andfriendsofthefamily.TheChurchhasalwaysunderstoodthecentralrolethefamilyplaysintheformationandeducationofchildren.Itisinthehomethatwediscoveranddevelopouridentity,cultivateourvirtues,createourvisions,andprepareourselvesfortheworldoutside.Itisinthehomewherewearefirsteducatedandtaughtaboutthedivine.Itisinthehomethatwesayourfirstprayers,anddiscovertheimportance,orunimportance,ofGodandfaith.Itisourfamilythatcreatesafoundationthatoftenstayswithusuntiltheendofourlives.

Indeed,theBookofProverbswiselyteaches,“Trainachildinthewayheshouldgo,andwhenheisold,hewillnotdepartfromthepath.”(Prov22:6)

OnGodparents/GodchildrenSunday,togetherwithGrandparents/GrandchildrenSunday-Weliftupthesetwoimportantrolesandrelationshipsthatmanyofushaveinourlives,butwecouldjustasreadilyliftuptheparentsthemselves,alongwiththeuncles,aunts,teachers,andanyChristianadultwhohasarelationshipwithchildren.

AsChristianadults,wehaveasacredtasktoinstillinourchildrenaChrist-centeredfoundation,animmoveablebasethatdoesnotchaseaftereverymodernfadandideology,butwhichremainsfirmuponour4000yearJudeo-Christianheritage.

AcentralteachingintheOldTestamenttellsus:“ThesecommandmentsthatIgiveyoutodayaretobeuponyourhearts.Impressthemonyourchildren.Talkaboutthemwhenyousitathomeandwhenyouwalkalongtheroad,whenyouliedownandwhenyougetup.Tiethemassymbolsonyourhandsandbindthemonyourforeheads.Writethemonthedoorframesofyourhousesandonyourgates.”(Deuteronomy6:6-9)ThewordofGodissupposedtobe

aclosecompanioninourlives.Itissomethingwetalkaboutcontinuouslytoourchildren,guidingthemintoadynamicrelationshipwithourlovingFatherinheavenandteachingthemtoloveHimaboveallelseinlife.St.Clementemphasized,“Theprimarylessonforlifemustbeimplantedinthesoulfromtheearliestage,andtheprimarylessonforchildrenistoknowtheeternalGod,theOnewhogiveseverlastinglife.”Asgodparents,andgrandparents,howcanyoufulfillthissacredtaskyouhaveinassistingparentstoraisetheirchildreninagodlyfashioninthemidstofasecularworld.Ihaveafewsuggestions:

1.Becomeastrongsupportfortheparentsbytakinganactiveinterestintheoveralllifeofthechild,includinghis/herspiritualdevelopment.Asagodparent,theseparentschoseyoutobeaspiritualinfluenceinthelifeoftheirchild.Fulfillyourrole,notsolelybygivingmaterialgiftsonbirthdaysandChristmas,butmoresofulfillyourrolebysettingagoodChristianexamplewithyourlife.BeaconstantremindertothechildofhisChristianidentityandChristianresponsibility.Andbothgodparentsandgrandparents,rememberthatparentscanoftenuseanotherperspectiveandwillinghandastheyguidetheirchildreninadulthood.

2.Praythroughtheupsanddownsoflifewithyourgodchildandgrandchild,andletthegodchildandgrandchildknowthatyouareprayingforthemeveryday.Teachthemhowtopray!Praywiththem.OneofthegreatestgiftsyoucangiveachildistobuythemasimpleOrthodoxPrayerBook,andthenteachthemhowtouseit!Ournew“Agape”Bookstore,whichwillbeopenafterLiturgy,issellingsomegreatprayerbooksforchildren!Buyonetodayandgiveittoyourgodchildandgrandchild.

3.Celebrateyourgodchild/grandchild’sspecialdays,remindingthemthattheirlifeisagiftfromGod.WhattheydoinlifewillbetheirgiftbacktoGod.Alongwithbirthdays,celebrateyourgodchildandgrandchild’snamedayinaspecialmanner.Buythemaniconoftheirpatronsaint.Findthelifeofthesaintandshareitwiththem.Dosomethingspecial,andspiritual,withthemonthispersonalfeastday.

4.Onotherholidays,likeChristmasandEaster,emphasizethespiritualaspectsofthefeasts,creatingmemorableChrist-centeredtraditions.Don’tsimplyfollowthecommercialandmaterialtemptationsoftheseholidays.Becreativeasyoutrytobeaconstantreminderofthatwhichisholy.

5.Asagodparent,thischildreceivedhis/herfirstHolyCommunioninyourarms.Remindthechildhowyouwerethereforhis/herfirstHolyCommunion,andinvitethemtocometoChurchwithyou,andreceiveHolyCommuniontogetheronceagain.Ifyoulivecloseby,makethisaregulartradition.Ifyourgodchildlivesfartheraway,gooutofyourwaytodothisasoftenaspossible!Andgrandparentscanfollowthesameadvice!

6.CallyourgodchildorgrandchildeverySundayandaskthemwhattheylearnedinSundaySchool.EvenaskthemiftheyremembertheGospellesson,anddiscusswhatlessonstheylearnedfromit.Don’tbeembarrassed,orafraid,todiscusssuchspiritualissueswiththechild.Ifyouwon’tdoit,whowill?

Onthesamelineofthought,buythechildanageappropriateBible,andtellthemthatyou’regoingtoaskthemquestionsaboutthedifferentstories.Asthechildgrowsup,buyotherBiblesthatwillspeaktohis/herage.

7.Encourageyourgodchild/grandchildtoserveGodthroughvolunteeringincommunityserviceprojects.Connectyourlifelessonswithtoday’sGospelReadingoftheLastJudgement–“Whateveryoudototheleastofmybrothersorsisters,youdotome.”Agreatwaytobondwiththechildistomakeaspecialvisittogethertoanoldagehomeorhospital.Asthechildgrows,challengethemtoparticipateinacross-culturalmissiontrip.Astheythinkaboutcollegesandtheirfuture,encouragethemtoconsideravocationinservingGod–plantaseedforonetopossiblybecomeapriest,oraChurchworker.

8.Finally,keepfrequentcontactwiththechildren.Sendthemlovenotesoften.Dropthemtexts,emails,andphonecalls,Letthischildknowthatnomatterhowmuchdistanceseparatesyou,yourlovewillalwaysbecloseby.Thegreatestgiftachildcanhaveistheloveofthoseclosetohim/her.Remember,“Ofallholyworks,theeducationofchildrenisthemostholy”St.Theophansaid.Letallofusgodparentsandgrandparents,aswellaseveryChristianadult,heedthesewords,andfulfilloursacredresponsibilitytoourchildren.