Shepherding

Serving by lending a listening ear??Certainly! but that role is not for just anybody. Not all could handle the listening session and dispense good and concrete advice at the same time. Some, just wallow along and end up  absorbing  the pain of the person in need, unable to offer strength. If you are the type, stay away from such roles -too much feelings and too much love  without the ability to discern  and guide is a weakness, a lacking which  will do more harm than good. Sometimes, we need to be harsh to check the hurts and get the victim to face reality so that they rise up and help themselves, other times, we need to sooth and comfort, when a person is really bruised and needed the strength of another. It all depends on the case and the circumstance. 

Today, the homily touched on husband and wife taking on the role of shepherds on the home front. It touches on parents taking on responsible and active roles in nurturing the faith of their children. In loving God, the mechanism of, respect and   filial love to parents, are set into motion. It is a natural process. God loving children, has this natural inclination to love and  honour their parents as well, because God guides their every actions. Does not the commandments say that "Thou shalt honour thy Father and Mother???" Today, with the daily bombardments of  worldly influences ,  religion has taken a back seat and with it -lost of many family values. Machines has taken over the attention of our children, in place of family togetherness-people speak to each other through their mobiles more than our conservative norm -directly and face to face.  Extended families are becoming quite endangered., closeness is fast vaporising-people no longer think taking care of aged parents are important any more.   Time -love and fear of God, takes centre stage again. I remember in days passed, we never dared questioned the decisions of our parents, yet we never felt slighted or have any negative thoughts against our parents and we grew up respectful , dependable and loving children. Less old folks left to fend for themselves then.  

Today, a whole classroom of tips and what nots on good parenting ( some tips has real value,only-many go overboard) have turned parents into love machines-respectful of the wishes of their children- afraid to teach goodness and values. We tip toe around making sure  we do not ruffle their feathers. We voluntarily shut down , when they start voicing up. No matter, how educated and smart we are, somehow  we prefer to trust the opinions of our children, more than our own judgements. We no longer trust in ourselves-children knows better !!! ( those good old days,  parents'  mantras were, we haven taken more salt than you-you listen to us). -By the way, I still say that to my own kids, but then I am a risk taker, believing God, provides comprehensive insurance coverage, for any feathers ruffled. .

 We love our kids so much that we misguidedly allowed them to turn up the volumes of their voices until they drown out ours .  Now  they could no longer  hear us, instead we hear them loud and clear. Guys! Guys! if nothing is done to arrest the down slide; and reverse the roles back to its original state, love and respect for God, parents will soon be a memory -dust swirling and disappearing in the wind. For our kids themselves without the correct values and virtues instilled....God and family will lose presence-how can they pass on good values if they were never properly taught ?? If having their own ways, has become a culture??? It cannot be good for our children and their children-the future world. Just imagine a future world of cold distant people, self centred, detached from love, from feelings, from kinship......   Say, what you want...YT still believes, God is important if we want to retain our good values, if we want family love, if we want parent-children, siblings  love and the love of others, for others  to continue working in our lives.

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