When new parents requesting Baptism for their child, attend the Baptism Prep class, the first question I ask them is: “What do you want for your child?” The responses include the following:  happy and healthy; respectful; honest; learning to forgive; developing a sense of giving and sharing; growing up with good morals; belonging to a faith community.  Good answers! Huh.

I respond:  “Parents are the first teachers of their children; you model for them the words and behaviors they will adopt.”  Children are the best imitators in word and deed…. just think about it…. It is the role of parents to teach children through the years to choose wisely in a world filled with good and evil.

In the readings today Jesus reminds us that he has come not to abolish the law but to fulfill it.  As Christians called to be disciples, we are to live the Commandments and more importantly the Law of Love. People like the Scribes and Pharisees more or less felt that everything had to do with what people showed externally, when the real importance had to do with matters of the heart.  Jesus does not want us to just ACT like disciples; He wants us to embrace, believe and internalize our actions.… and be real disciples to the depth of our being, not just on the surface.

This is not always simple or comfortable; it is a challenge. But we have Jesus and many in our midst who live true discipleship.   May we be blessed by their presence.