Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-47) - Faith of our Fathers

Dearest Goddaughter,

In our marriage class, I tell the couples that the greatest legacy that they can leave for their children is their Catholic faith. Their faith will help them through difficult and challenging times in their lives because they will know in their hearts and minds that God is with them always.

This belief is rooted in today's first reading from the First Book of Kings in which King David, on his deathbed, said this to Solomon, his son and heir:

"Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn. . ."

Moreover, in today's Gospel, Jesus too teach, preach, and pass on the faith in the One True God to the Twelve and sent them forth two by two to do the same in his name. Just as Jesus cultivated the faith of the apostles to maturity, parents are called to cultivate the faith of their children to maturity. It can be challenging but it is an effort, a sacrifice worth making.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Kgs 2:1-4, 10-12 and Mk 6:7-13 (below).

. . .

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two

and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick

–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.

They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.

He said to them,

"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.

Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,

leave there and shake the dust off your feet

in testimony against them."

So they went off and preached repentance.

The Twelve drove out many demons,

and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.