Our faith will be challenged

November 22, Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr
Daily Readings: 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31; Luke 19:11-28

If you look at the greeting cards and ads that come out each year for Mother's Day, you'll notice that they all seem very soft and fluffy. Mom is gentle, loving, a good cook, kind when you are ill, a soft shoulder when you need to cry, and caring all the time. I have never seen a Mother's Day card that reflects the mom we see in today's first reading who encourages her sons to embrace martyrdom for their faith. I suppose that her example won't sell enough flowers and chocolate.

A parent's job is to prepare their children for a life that will lead them to heaven. That is what the mother of seven sons did. Despite her own pain and crushing sorrow, she gave her sons the strength they needed to hold fast to their faith, trusting that God would reward them with eternal life. After watching her entire family suffer horrible deaths, she bravely faced her own death. While we and our children will likely never face threats of martyrdom, our faith will be challenged. Parents and trusted adults should help the young people in their charge hold to their beliefs with courage and commitment.