WHERE IT ALL BEGINS: THE FAMILY

Is there anything left of faith and morals in our world today that is not in a state of helplessness and hopelessness?

A cursory glance at the society today makes evident the fact that there is a far cry against the decline of a good morality and value – an exception of those who deny this reality is taken for granted here. The evidence for this is not complicated at all. In the recent generations, relatable to the “Gen Zs” we have been losing more of our children to the world of frivolities than to deeper sense of morality and value placement. How could this have happened? It is crystal clear: generation after generation have sacrificed morals and values on the altar of globalization and fashion – to speak of good morals today, is to literally flog a dead horse.

The first instinct at this point is to look at the Church – the paradigm of faith, morals and values – and ask how it happened. However, on a deeper interrogation, it would be realized that the crisis is not first and foremost a crisis of the Church, but of the family. For precision’s sake, the family is the seminal sphere, where life is first experienced, learned and patterned. It is the most important realm of influence on the individual. In other words, whatever external influences there is, the family lays the foundation from which future socialization and personality formation thrives. In fact, while the Church is responsible for the formation of an individual’s good relationship with GOD, the family is not left out in this responsibility.

The role of parents therefore, including guardians, the elders and all members of the family is hence, unapologetically emphasized in the stewardship of their children. This is what we need to wake up to, as in fact, it is the clearest, most direct and repeated command of scripture regarding the training of children. After all, it is parents that are commanded to train their children in the way he or she should go, not the Church (Cf. Prov. 22:6).

The discourse so far has been about what the family should be, but unfortunately, what holds today is what the family should not be. No one needs to prove that due to the failure of the family institution, we have been watching the death of morality and values as we constantly behold the parade in the media, of nudity and all sorts of immodesty in the name of fashion, Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) and enlargement of some body parts and all sorts of sexual immoralities.

How so much are there confusion of priorities? The family has failed; it is no longer the primary setting for moral education and character formation. Parents and older members who should act as moral compasses have become immoral accomplices. As it stands, discipline has all but disappeared from most families, as some parents now fear that correction might lower a child’s self-esteem.

This is where we have found ourselves, but this is not where we must remain. As we prepare to round off the official celebration of the family week 2025, we are called however, not to round off our responsibilities as a family. We need to go back to the drawing board and begin to correct our wrongs, especially the immoral disposition of parents in the family: that drawing board is GOD. We need to enthrone GOD as the Centre of our families, who shapes our sense of values. Families should pray together always, share the Word of GOD and go to Mass together regularly (when possible). Parents should be concerned about the spiritual and sacramental lives as well as growth of their children.

This is a clarion call to all families, to reflect on the strength of family bond and recognize how so much they are needed to reinstating morals, values and faith in their pride of place. Foundations built strong stand the test of time.

Faith and morals in our world today are not entirely helpless and hopeless after all: they lie, first of all, in the hands of families.