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Fr Ziliak, Evansville Courier &
Press, Saturday, April 10, 2004
Easter is a time of hope. Life is renewed.
God’s saving power is re-lived. Signs of renewed life and vigor are
all around us.
How refreshing to view the world from God’s
eyes rather than the eyes of those who would lead us to believe that
evil and hostility will reign supreme!
Getting together and eating with family
and friends is a major reality at this time of Easter. Enjoy the time
together. Guard the preciousness of the love and care that you cherish
and share with one another.
Family, children and values are deeply held
issues for each of us. Passing our values on to another generation
is very important.
Our Men’s Club hosted a seminar recently
on “Effective Fathers.” Seminar leader, John Ream, is a retired banker
who gives the men opportunity of reviewing their own techniques of
fathering and shares stories for more effective fathering.
Let me share one neat story. It is the challenge
a parent faces with a young daughter about to embark into the exciting
and scary world of dating. He tells his daughter, “Your mother and
I have determined that I will interview the young man before you begin
dating.” The eyes were rolling in the head of the daughter as she
digested this monumental policy.
The daughter’s day of dating is about to
arrive. Father says, “When is he to arrive to pick you up?” “At seven
tomorrow,” she responds. “Have him come at 6:30 p.m.,” advises the
father. “A half hour,” wails the daughter.
Young man arrives, and the father is there
with his daughter. The greeting is cordial and welcoming from the
father. The young man is more tentative. “Let’s go in to the living
room,” invites the father.
The father proceeds, “I’m very happy to
meet you. My daughter has given us good reports about you, so I am
happy to see you and speak with you.”
The father then gets into the core of his
message. “Our daughter is very special to her mother and I. We feel
she is a precious gift of life from God to us. We also know that she
is very loved by our Lord, for he suffered and died for her and her
happiness.
“My task,” continues the father, “is to
cover (protect) my family. I don’t mean that in a controlling fashion,
but in the sense that I am the one whose task it is to see to the
safety and well being of all the members of the family. If there is
a fire, I am to lead them to safety.
“I will share part of my responsibility
with you,” he continues, “when you take my daughter on a date. I ask
that you see to it that she is never brought into a situation where
her safety is endangered – whether physically, spiritually or emotionally.
Will you take my hand on that?”
Did you notice what the father has done
in this little episode? He and his wife have set down regulations
based on their values. They have shared those with the children. They
carry through when the father meets with the young man. He acknowledges
that his daughter thinks highly of the young man. He shares with the
young man the depth and meaning of parental love for their children.
Then he seeks a partnership with the young man to take on some of
the responsibility of caring for and protecting precious lives.
There were many other insights and simple
methods of endorsing family life and personal relations. There is
hope for living richer and happier lives.
Father Joseph L. Ziliak is pastor
of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Newburgh.
