We love our children and we do our best to be good parents to them.  We want to keep them safe and we want to help them create a future that allows them to live up to their potential and be happy.  So does God. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

Jesus said to His apostles, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”  Mark 10:14

I regret that I was not a more spiritual person when my little children were growing up, for if I had been I would have done more to help my children go to Jesus.  I will confess to you that I did not know that God had a plan for each of us until I reached my 40’s.  I did not know how much God wanted to be actively involved in our lives.  I spent far too much time worrying about providing for my children’s material needs and not enough time providing for my children’s spiritual needs because I was not evangelized myself.

When I began to search for God my children were adolescents and they were always observing me.  They noticed immediately that I would pray at 3 o’clock, the time Jesus died for us.  I remember them saying to me, “Mom it’s 3 o’clock.”  They knew it was my time to pray and I’m not sure if they were praying too, but I did encourage them to pray and thank Jesus for dying for us.

I believe that somewhere in the world someone was praying for my family during the years when I was not praying for my family because that’s what true Christians do.  They pray for others!  It doesn’t matter whether they know you or not, they love you and through their prayers they are trying to unite you to Jesus.

Now I am a Christian that prays for others.  I pray for the mothers and fathers with no faith.  I pray for all the children who need God in their lives and don’t yet know Him.  I have met personally with young teens that take drugs on the weekend with their parents.  I have met many young people who have run away from home and that live on the streets.  God wants us to help them and to pray for them.

Let us pray not only for our biological children, but let us pray for all children, regardless of their age.  We are all creatures of God.  We all belong to God and we all need God.  Let us pray, this very day for the entire world asking God to give His gift of faith to people who need Him so much.  For the sake of Your sorrowful Passion Lord have mercy on us and on the whole world.