St. Anthony Messenger

Growing in One ‘s Faith

How can I encourage my young children to go back to church?

Have you been willing to share your reasons for going to churchÑbeyond “It’s the law “? Although many people are afraid of being suckered in on the subject of religion, they can be terribly gullible about what they read onlineÑmuch to the delight of scammers.

A person’s prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain needed for weighing options and consequences, is not fully formed for most people much before the age of 30.

Many young people mistakenly suspect that older people are too lazy to realize that they don’t need to go to church. “Obligation ” doesn’t convince them. When someone explains why he or she goes, that may receive a better responseÑeventually.

Unfortunately, many people think of faith in God as though it is like their baby shoes: nice, but no one can expect to wear them forever. A 5-year-old’s faith is fine for a 5-year-old, but unless it grows, it will not support an adult facing more serious challenges than that 5-year-old faces.

Joining in the celebration of the Mass will not be enough for a person’s faith to grow, but it’s a start.

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