16th Sunday of Ordinary Time Reflection: Reap Good Deeds, Words, and Actions

“Train the young in the way they should go; even when old, they will not swerve from it.” Proverbs 22:6

The 16th Sunday of Ordinary has readings that can hit us between the eyes. There is so much evil in the world. The above verse gives us an idea of how to turn the tide.

In today’s age and time, parents focus more on the physical aspect and well-being of a child. Meanwhile, their spiritual aspect is not taken care of properly. A father once said to his son, “Be careful where you walk.” The son responded: “You be careful, I walk in your footsteps.”

My parents remember hearing a song on the radio by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young titled, “Teach Your Children”. In the chorus of the song, the quartet would sing, “Feed them on your dreams. The one they pick's the one you'll know by” The chart-topping quartet was on to something with their hit song.  

The Catechism reminds us, “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule.” (CCC 2223) It is through the parents that the children get to practice and apply tenderness, forgiveness, respect, and fidelity as they mature in age.

William J Toms reminds us, “Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.” Therefore, it is crucial for the parents to imitate tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service in their daily lives thereby leading the children to practice these virtues through the parents’ example.  

Our culture has been bombarded by the devil’s work. A good parent especially with the presence of a father can shield the children from the buffets and attacks of the devil. The weapons against them are the Sacraments and the Rosary.

Countless saints have echoed time after time the need to defeat Satan in today’s world. It is needed more than ever. Through the two spiritual weapons mentioned and the prayerful example of the parents, we can create good citizens of the earth and Heaven.

Today, let us strive to make a good confession, teach our children how to pray, lead them to Christ, and most importantly prepare ourselves for the second coming.