The Fourth Commandment

"Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother,  And You Will Have a Long Life”

Fred L. Vilbig © 2016

I would think that most people would want to live by this commandment more than almost any other. It is the only commandment with a promise. In our society, people are always trying something new so we can live just a little while longer. According to God (our manufacturer), the solution is simple: honor your mother and father, and you will live long.

Yet so many times we fail to do this. People, of course, are imperfect. Many of our parents… no, all of our parents were imperfect to a greater or lesser degree. Some of us have deep wounds from things our parents said or did, and I don’t mean to minimize those.

But God calls us beyond our hurts and our pains. He calls us to healing and forgiveness. God’s medicine is very odd too: it is through forgiveness that we are healed. Resentment about things that were done or said to or about us is like a festering wound that can become a deadly infection. Forgiveness is the cure.

It may be that we are embarrassed by our parents, by where we come from. We feel that we should have been born into a better family, under better circumstances. But since God is the master of the universe in control of everything, we were born right where He wanted us to be.

So how do we honor our mother and father? My dad used to always say, “If you can’t say something nice, just don’t say it.” So don’t run down your parents when talking about them. If they are older, make a real effort to visit them. Human interaction is huge. When they become frail, don’t just warehouse them in a nursing home. If possible, bring them into your own home. See Matthew 25:35-36. If that isn’t possible, take the time to visit them or to stay in touch. And after they’ve died, pray for them every day. Include them in every one of your Mass intentions.

Do these things, and you will have a long life – maybe not in this passing world, but certainly in the world to come, and that is what really matters.

CCC 2197-2257.