Baptism

Activity:  Pick one of the items below and work on advancing your practice and understanding of its value to you and your family.

Once we are baptized, we have have work to do!  As Ukrainian Catholics we must:

1. SERVE OTHERS - This means that we must be helpful in every day life in every day ways.  It is said that "they will know we are Christians by our love", so we must work to be kind, cheerful, faithful, helpful and loving to our neighbor.

2. OBEY THE CHURCH LEADERS - Just like Adam and Eve were supposed to obey, we too must obey God and His church. Our church is the one true church that can be traced back to Jesus Himself.  He gave "keys" (power) to Peter who was our first Pope, and said "Truly, I tell you, whatever you bind on each will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, shall be loosed in Heaven." Matthew 18:18. This means that we must be obedient to the laws of the church, even if we think differently.  Bear in mind, Adam and Eve thought differently, and they were dead wrong.

3. RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS (when old enough and ready) - One sacrament that is underutilized is Penance or Reconciliation. It is important that we, as parents, reflect on our thoughts and feelings about this sacrament. It has a history that, unfortunately, has driven many people away, such that they think that saying you're sorry directly to God is enough. While, feeling and saying that you are sorry to God, is a good start, it does fall short of the power and mystery of actually receiving the sacrament, wherein the priest is used as a counselor and a voice for God to forgive. There is nothing as liberating to your spirit than to hear those words, "Your sins are forgiven.  Now, go in peace!"

4. LEARN AND DEFEND OUR FAITH - This means that we must prioritize our spiritual development over our entire lifetime. And when the opportunity presents itself to evangelize and/or take exception to others who put down our Catholic faith, we need to rise to the occasion and be proud of not only who we are, but WHOSE we are!

5. WORSHIP GOD - Attending the Divine Liturgy on a weekly basis is life changing when you put your heart and soul into the hour of worship. Your children are consistently watching, listening, and learning. In a world that is filled with distraction, and a culture that is toxic to the soul, our church is a rock, a refuge, and a spiritual home for us all.

Family prayer is also a game changer. Consider making it a daily habit. I believe that if you change your habits, you change your life.

6.  READ THE BIBLE -  God's word has been literally given to us. It is incredible to think that so many of us have failed to read this best seller. Bible study is one of the areas that, if and when the time is right, can elevate your relationship with God and your understanding of life itself.  I pray that we all get to the point in our lives that Bible study becomes a priority.