Teaching Morals: Part V
"Help Them Experience Prayer and the Sacraments"

by Brandon Jubar

Teaching teenagers about morality takes almost constant effort. Part I of this series discussed teaching our teens to think critically and make good, moral choices that conform to the teachings of the Church -- which are the teachings of Christ. Part II explored the idea that it's not enough to simply talk about the Gospel -- we must teach our teens to live it by addressing issues that they are facing today. Part III looked at the need to make sure that we're not undermining the lessons we're sharing by being hypocrites. And Part IV focused on the need for self-imposed censorship due to the fact that the images we see and the sounds that we hear can etch themselves into our memories and come back to us unbidden.

In order for the first four steps be successful, it is vital that we recognized that prayer and the sacraments are essential for living a moral, Christian life.

Prayer is Communication

Prayer is not just reciting words from memory with little thought or conviction. Prayer is about seeing and hearing God. It's a conversation between God and the creatures He created. Through prayer we build and strengthen our relationship with Him.

In a world that is cluttered with possessions and secular commitments, it is imperative that we teach our teens the importance of prayer. One way to do this is to ensure that we make time for our own prayer. Another way is to encourage a family prayer time. This can be done together as a family, or it can be a time set aside specifically for individual prayer (i.e. no TV, radio, video games, etc.). Whatever we choose, we must at least talk to our teens about prayer and encourage them to enter into conversation with the Lord.

Sacraments Strengthen & Bring Us Together

Sacraments are not just rituals we do at Church. They're not just a series of motions we go through with little thought or conviction. The sacraments are channels of divine grace, and through them we are raised up to share in the very life of our Creator. Through the sacraments we are also drawn closer as a Christian community -- a community of believers.

Many of our "rituals" become nothing more than habits, so it is important to talk to our teens about the true meaning and importance of the Christian sacraments. If we find it difficult to explain the sacraments to our teens, then perhaps that's a sign that we need further instruction too. Because when we truly understand the importance and significance of the sacraments, we will begin to feel them working in our lives -- and so will our teens.

Hope and Inspiration

I began this series of articles with the idea that rather than trying to sort through all of the specific topics parents should discuss with their teens, perhaps it would be best to focus on one underlying theme. For regardless of whether the issue is premarital sex, illegal drugs, or violence, it all comes down to one thing: how to best teach teenagers about morality.

In this day and age, teaching morality can seem almost impossible. Society and popular culture try to thwart us at every turn. But as parents and educators of youth, we can't forget that with God, all things are possible. God will not only give us the means to survive in a sinful age, but to actually grow spiritually. For as the saying goes, it's only in the dark of the night that the stars are able to shine.

As Christian parents, we are called to be beacons of light in this time of moral darkness. And one of our first duties is teaching morals to our children. If done properly and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it's an investment that will pay out for generations to come!

Life Applications:

How do you pray? How much/often do you pray?
How would you explain the sacraments to your children?
What are you doing to teach your children good moral values?

Copyright 2005 by Brandon Jubar
All rights reserved.