Faith, Hope, and Love on Father's Day

[saint701]

http://www.examiner.com/spirituality-in-st-louis/lost-eden-seminary-cemetery-or-you-i-and-i-you-part-1


Blessings!

Hello Christianity Oasis. How are you today?

I was within seconds of getting this article up on line last Sunday when the C.O. server went down. I tried signing in several times after that but to no avail. Nevertheless, I do believe this article should be posted here.

Although I didn't do so in the article, it occurred to me afterward that our Catholic friends have not changed their approach to governance. Catholics still apply an age old formula for success in their daily living. And they prosper because of it.

I hear Glenn Beck holler out most days on those things that our country needs to do in order to get this country back on the right track. Periodically he has visitors on his show that are experts in religion, experts in business, and experts in politics. They gab back and forth, yet do not see the simplicity in the lives of Catholics that make them successful in this country.

Following is my take on faith, hope, and love in this country, and the role Father's play establishing a chain of command within the home that should be reinforced within churches and schools.

Years ago when we were teaching school at Mark Twain Elementary School in Brentwood things were quite a bit different than they are today. As teachers we had academic freedom, and discipline was still a strong motivator. Such stemmed from the desire of parents to have their child's boundaries firmly and consistently enforced at school as they were at home. It was normal at that time for discipline to originate out of a father's love for his children and said discipline to be reinforced at school. A mother was expected to stand firmly by the side of her husband when the loving hand of correction needed to be applied.

Men were greatly respected during that day. Many had fought in WWII or Korea and they brought home the knowledge that their military training through effective discipline had played a key role in keeping them alive. They also brought home a strong faith in God; as it has been said many times, there are no athiests in fox holes. Also at that time schools were considered holy ground and teachers holy. As teachers we were expected to live a morally correct and dignified life at school and at home, and also demonstrate spiritual leadership by attending church regularly.

Discipline applied without prejudice produced strong character in us, a respect for our parents, a respect for our schools, and a respect for God. Thus, through the consistent reinforcement of boundaries at home, at school, and at church the foundation was set for the spiritual qualities of faith, hope, and love to grow in.

We entered into our adult life with strong faith that we would achieve if we stayed within the boundaries first set by our father, and affirmed by our mother, school, and church. As we matured and grew older we began to get up and take a look on down the road to see what the future held for us. There was no reason to doubt. We held the vision of our success firmly within ourselves. We carried the vision of that great hope with us the rest of our lives, always looking ever forward to our next challenge knowing faith and hope would assure us of a positive outcome. We accomplished our goals. At the end we were satisfied.

Looking back we respect the fact that our father's loved us very much. They laid the foundation of firm discipline. Our mother's confirmed it. It was reinforced in school and church. It produced that same love in our lives. We raised our children in that same love. We carry our father's love for us in our heart of hearts. We remember those teachers that loved us enough to establish boundaries in their classrooms that allowed us to learn. And we love our Father God because He is, was, and always will be the originator of the love that grows out of firm boundaries that are reinforced consistently.

We honor our fathers today because they established the foundation of faith, hope, and love in our lives, and that great faith, hope, and love still abides in us today. We praise you and worship our Great Dad, Lord of Lords, King of Kings Lord God Almighty Loving Father. We love and adore you because you loved us through our father, and because of our father's love for you, that he loved us with, we love him and you, and we love our children as you and our father loved us.

Now abideth faith, hope, and love. Amen.


Blessings,
Love, In Him, saint