From the Daily Office

Psalm 78: 5-8

5 He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children;

6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,

7 so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;

8 and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

One of the reasons for the steady decline of the Episcopal Church (and most mainline churches for that matter) over the past 50 years has been a woeful lack of catechism.  Have we taught our children well?  And I don't just mean in Sunday School.  Have we as Christian parents done a good job of raising children who knew Jesus Christ, not just as some abstract concept, but as their personal Lord and Savior?

The Church must do a better job of providing Christian Formation to all ages: children, youth and adults.  That is why we are working so hard at Christ Memorial to provide Bible Studies that will strengthen the flock.  This will not work, however, if nobody comes, and if we don't take it seriously.

How will our children and our children's children come to know Jesus Christ if we don't make learning his Word and Worshiping his Holy Name a major part of our lives?  Ours is a rebellious generation, and we should strive to show our children that it is better to live according to the law of God, the example of Jesus Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Fr. Michael+