Feast of Saint Peter Julian Eymund

Good morning. Babies are amazing creatures. It boggles my mind to think of how incredibly complex they are. Man is superior to all other life form and yet we are born more dependent than any other creature. We are born with a poorly formed sense of vision. A newborn infant can see a distance of only 8 to 14 inches or about the distance from being cradled in their parent’s arm to their parent’s face. Nonetheless, from birth a newborn’s eyes are constantly searching, and discerning their new surroundings, learning all that they can thanks to the miracle of sight. Babies are not only limited visually, but they likewise are limited and dependent upon their parents for everything. We have an obligation to provide for the needs of our children beginning with loving them. It is this same love which will guide them to learn all they need to know. Because children are so dependent the task of parenting is both wondrous and alarming. They are not only limited physically but they are likewise limited intellectually and spiritually and thus dependent upon their parents for guidance in these areas as well. So, as parents we have an obligation to provide for and nurture our children. We have a duty to teach our children how to effectively deal with the world around them and to protect them from the same. This duty is not limited to just the physical and intellectual needs, but we have an obligation, as our children’s first teachers, to teach them to see the world as it really is. We are called by God to help our children understand the world with the vision passed down to us from our parents, a vision of truth found in the Gospels and in the teachings of the Church. It is up to us to show them what is right and correct them when they are wrong. We need to instruct them in the areas of sin, forgiveness, and love. Should we fail to do this we leave our children helplessly blind as in today’s Gospel— “If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Whatever form our children’s lives take it bears our signature for we are their eyes, their ears, the sculptor for the choices they make, the conductor for the voice of God resounding in their heart. Make some marvelous music. Make a great day!

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and works of Saint Peter Julian Eymund.