The Feast of the Holy Family

Thoughts for the Week - Fr. R. Taouk 
13th January 2019

Influence of Parents Upon Their Children
by Rev. Fr. Johann Evangelist Zollner

In St. John's Gospel (John 4:53) we read that not only the ruler, but also his whole house, believed in Jesus. "Himself believed, and his whole house." From this we perceive how much depends on example, especially on the example of superiors. If the ruler had not believed in Christ, those of his house, without doubt, would not have believed in him; in spite of the miracle which he wrought on the sick son, they would have considered him merely as an extraordinary good and kind man, perhaps as a Prophet. But since the ruler believed in him, all his subjects, his wife, children, and domestics believed in him. I can recommend to you, Christian parents, no better means for the proper training of your children, than your own good example. But it is equally certain that the bad example of parents renders a good education almost impossible, because children pay little attention to the admonitions when good example is wanting, and they are not improved even by punishment.

The good example of parents makes the children good. It is well known that the imitative instinct is nowhere stronger than in children; they do not act independently, but do only what they see others doing. As they have an unbounded confidence in their parents, they consider that everything they do is right and good, and they will do the same thing in imitation of them. Now, if they perceive that their parents pray very devoutly, diligently visit the Church, and in their daily conduct manifest a Christian feeling and the fear of God, it will make a salutary impression upon them, the good takes root in their hearts early and strikes deeply, so that it becomes to them almost a second nature. Arriving at mature age, when hard and dangerous trials are to be endured, they are already so confirmed in virtue, that sin cannot prevail against them. And even if they should occasionally succumb to temptation, they will soon rise from their fall; their wounded conscience will give them no rest, but will urge and impel them to reconcile themselves with God as soon as possible by true repentance.

The prophet Ezechiel speaks of a wagon drawn by four living beings; as these beings moved along, the wheels of the wagon turned round and followed. By this wagon we can understand a family; the beings that draw the wagon are the parents; but the wheels are the children. Now, just as the wheels turned round and went in the same direction as the beings that drew the wagon, so children act according to the example of their parents, and are their true followers in the path of virtue or vice. Hence St. Chrysostom says: "The works of the parents are books from which the children learn. The tongue, the lips of the parents, are as so many books, from which children derive instruction".