“Do not try to please everybody. Try to please God , the angels, and the saints. These are your public. If you are afraid of other people’s opinion, you should not have become Christian.” St John Vianney
I would like to make a few random suggestions of practical ways to combat some negative cultural tendencies that we face all the time.
- Mass every Sunday- Your kids need to see that you take this basic requirement of the Catholic Church seriously, even if many of their friends do not. God is only asking for only one hour a week, and it is truly for the greatest good of your souls!
- Conversations– Bring up your Faith in the public domain! What % of your conversations right now are focused on sports, fashion or politics? Is there any room for God?
- Meals together as a Family- With crazy work and sports schedules, this will demand some serious creativity and sacrifice. But kids need this quality family time together and this allows you to take their pulse (with no television or cell phones allowed).
- Temperance– How many drinks do you have when you go out with your spouse or when you are with your friends after work? Can you stop at one or two? Do you try to help your friends curb their drinking habits?
- Shopping/Leisure time– How much time do you spend shopping or golfing or playing tennis? Does your family suffer as a result? To find the balance…
- Car Time– In the midst of cell phone calls, talk radio and music, do you have any quiet time in the car to pray and reflect?
- Too Busy– Most of you have too much to do and not enough time to do it, and the tendency is to become self-absorbed…but are you aware of the needs of those around you? Sometimes just a smile or a kind word goes a long way!
