Some youth ask the following question. “Should I suffer hardship, sickness and pain …. for the sins of my Parents? Am I responsible for their deeds and omissions?” They feel disturbed and confused. Dear Youngsters, in case you feel troubled with the above given thoughts, you might feel peaceful after practicing the Therapies, given below.
Self-Talk “The Past events do have some effect on the Present. The Present – Here and Now, is what matters to me. God has given me the ability to exercise control over my thoughts and behavior and choose appropriate and realistic response to life situations around me, for the well-being of self and others”.
Acceptance “I am informed that, when a person has to bear hardship, pain and hostile situations, the first curative step for healing process to begin is, ‘Acceptance’. My acceptance of this painful experience does not necessarily mean, I approve my parents any iniquity, they might have committed. These, may or may not be the cause or contributing factors for my hardship and pain”.
Rationale and a Self-Talk “Blessed Fr. Damien of Molokai, St. Joseph Vaz of Benaulim, Goa and St. Francis Xavier, voluntarily and willingly chose a vocation, a work environment, with the awareness that their option would subject them to experience hardship and pain. Fr. Damien worked in the Leper Colony of Molokai (Hawaiian Islands) for about 16 years, in the 18th century, for the Physical, Material and Spiritual well being of the lepers, who were his Parishioners. At that time, there was no cure for leprosy and he succumbed to the dreadful disease.
The severe hardship and difficulties St. Joseph Vaz went through in Srilanka and St. Francis Xavier encountered in Goa, China and Japan, are known to me.”
The self-talk continues – “If the above mentioned Missionaries, and other Missionaries including Martyrs, voluntarily and willingly chose a vocation that brought hardship and pain for them, why should I not accept joyfully hardship and pain that comes my way, even though I did not choose them? I shall overcome them with appropriate means supported with God’s Grace. Mother Theresa chose a vocation – ‘A call within a call’, to do a noble job that is not pleasant to perform. Many women joined her and the work continues all over the world.
“The Commandment from God is, ‘Honor your father and mother’. The Commandment does not say, ‘not to honor them if they commit a sin’ .Therefore, for my own sake, I shall continue to honor them. I shall remember with gratitude the good they do to me and pray for them.”
Marceline Rebello