Commitment

Scary word, isn’t it? Commitment. To pledge oneself, to bind or obligate by pledge or assurance. One is bound to a duty, to an obligation.

Father pointed out something so true, so obvious, that we, perhaps have failed to see it…

When we follow through on a commitment, it shapes us to follow through on other commitments.

Father complimented Parents once again. It doesn’t happen often, but this is the SECOND time I’ve heard him congratulate us! He talked about how even though it’s Summer, we Parents continue to take our kids to Mass. He was glad that we did not take Vacation as Vacation from Church.

Now, this is foreign to me. You see, I grew up in Southern California. We ALWAYS have great weather! Well, except for the occasional rain, but for the most part, as the song goes, “It Never Rains in Southern California.” Now what could nice weather have to do with anything, you may ask? Well, now that I reside in the Great White North, I have come to truly appreciate a nice day. A day with no snow, no rain and plenty of warm rays of sunshine!

On these types of days, the beautiful weather days, one does not stay inside. One tries to avoid the inside altogether. Apparently for some, this means Church as well.

I recall when we first moved to Toronto, we attended Mass at Transfiguration in Etobicoke. When Summer rolled along, attendance was so low that the 7 pm Mass was cancelled during the Summer!

Thus, Father complimented those Parents who continued to fulfill their Commitment of keeping the Sabbath Holy.

He shared with us how 80% of the youth that received Academic Recognition were part of the 20% of Kids that attend Mass. Though he pointed out that this does not guarantee that if your Child comes to Mass he/she will receive an Academic Achievement Award. BUT…He did demonstrate the correlation between Commitment and Balance.

Basically, if you teach your kids to follow through on all of their Commitments, even Religious ones, this not only teaches them the ability to follow through, but also it gives them Balance between Religious and Work lives. When your Child learns to take any and all Commitments seriously, then, when they are confronted with adversity in their Marriage, Work life, and/or School Life, they won’t just “fold.” Because they have been taught to live up to their Commitments, to not give up, that Adversity is part of life, that carrying our CROSSES are means of gaining Wisdom, are how we share in the Glory, then, our kids will fight to save their Marriages, they will fulfill their work and school Commitments. Clear? It’s basically building Good Habits regardless of the circumstances. 🙂

Speaking of Crosses, Father pointed out our tendency to practice Cross Avoidance. Instead of typing a Million and One Words here, I’ll let this “picture” illustrate it for you as it did for us.