I have a new appreciation of the concept of "fearing the Lord" after an excellent homily by our visiting priest Fr John Curran LC. He told a story from earlier in his life when he had done something as a child and had gotten in trouble with his father. He reflected that when asked later if he was afraid of his father he responded (now as a grown man) "I still am!"
Now I guess I had not reflected much upon the idea, but Fr Curran emphasized that "Fear of God" was really "Fear of offending God" this puts everything in a much deeper light. I asked father about that after Mass and he said it is right there in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I looked it up this morning and sure enough.
This got me to thinking about my children and their relationship to me. Based on my understanding of "Fear of God" from before hearing this idea, I would have said that my children fearing me is not something that I would want. Now I think that it is.
Now I guess I had not reflected much upon the idea, but Fr Curran emphasized that "Fear of God" was really "Fear of offending God" this puts everything in a much deeper light. I asked father about that after Mass and he said it is right there in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I looked it up this morning and sure enough.
'It is in discovering the greatness of God's love that our heart is shaken by the horror and weight of sin and begins to fear offending God by sin and being separated from him." (CCC 1432)
This got me to thinking about my children and their relationship to me. Based on my understanding of "Fear of God" from before hearing this idea, I would have said that my children fearing me is not something that I would want. Now I think that it is.
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