I think this is a very common fear among responsible men everywhere.
I think the fear of conflict is a major contributing factor to the very very weak leadershiop that so many husbands and fathers exercise in their families.
Just last night I had to overcome this fear myself. I had to sternly admonish my 10 year old about not working diligently on math. Now I didn't yell, and I didn't spank. But he needed to get the message that his behavior was not okay, and I knew this would make him cry. I didn't want to do it. But love can be difficult at times.
For religious, I can see how internal conflict within oneself can be tortuous. In secular life, external type conflict caused by others on your life, or caused by you on others' lives, can make life hellish. And if you're an intense Catholic, you're always wondering how this all affects the status of your soul.
So like you put it so humorously, fear of hell is probably foremost in our minds.
Faithful, or even just thoughtful criticisms are always welcome. Uninformed rudeness to other posters or to the Lord and His Church is not.
I also reserve the right to reject comments promoting things like private revelations and fringe points of view, if it seems to me like they are being presented in a misleading way.
If you raise a disagreement with something I say but I do not respond, please do not feel slighted or insulted, or imagine that this automatically means I disagree or agree with you. It's just that I don't find the comment box to be a constructive medium for certain forms of debate.
I think this is a very common fear among responsible men everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI think the fear of conflict is a major contributing factor to the very very weak leadershiop that so many husbands and fathers exercise in their families.
Just last night I had to overcome this fear myself. I had to sternly admonish my 10 year old about not working diligently on math. Now I didn't yell, and I didn't spank. But he needed to get the message that his behavior was not okay, and I knew this would make him cry. I didn't want to do it. But love can be difficult at times.
For religious, I can see how internal conflict within oneself can be tortuous. In secular life, external type conflict caused by others on your life, or caused by you on others' lives, can make life hellish. And if you're an intense Catholic, you're always wondering how this all affects the status of your soul.
ReplyDeleteSo like you put it so humorously, fear of hell is probably foremost in our minds.
Father Charles, I know this is a bit off topic, but this is a story which really affected me. Can you please keep Pervaiz Masih and his family in your prayers tonite?
ReplyDeleteI have so much anger in me after the events of these past few days : (