Rowan Lawrence

Temptations are all around us, and we know that as Christians, it is a normal part of life to fight them. What makes it difficult is the fact that it is now becoming more difficult to recognise some temptations to sin for what they are: disguised by the mass media, they have infiltrated everyday life. The unwary succumb to these temptations: they are led to believe that to behave in certain ways, to hold certain attitudes, are normal and right. For example, it is considered usual, even sensible, to put oneself first. Traits such as vanity and materialism are presented as normal. We are told that it is common sense to be ruthless and hard-headed in professional life.

How many of us can truly say that we are not swayed by the world we live in? It would be impossible not to be influenced by it. We would do well to remember, then, the words of Saint Paul; we should “not conform...to the pattern of this world” (Romans, 12 v.2). Those of us who have reached a certain stage of adulthood may find it a little easier than younger ones to resist some of the pressures of the modern world: we have experience and judgement to help us. Our concern, however, is for our children. My daughter is very young, but I am beginning to see that there will be a lot of challenges ahead in providing her with a Catholic upbringing in a secular society. Currently, the challenges are familiar to many people: like most parents of small children, we are dealing with an affectionate and happy, but stubborn child who needs to be gently guided towards socially acceptable behaviour. Keeping her quiet and happy at Mass sometimes seems to be the only problem in bringing up a Catholic child of her age. As she grows older, things will be less simple. I hope that by setting a good example and teaching a clear difference between right and wrong I will go some way toward helping her grow up into the person God wants her to be. By themselves, though, these may not be enough. The world’s pressures and temptations are most dangerous to the unwary and the insecure. So my husband and I also need to give our daughter confidence, security and a strong sense of self. She may then be strong and sure enough of herself to know that she does not need the false boosts to self-esteem that TV and magazines would have us believe we need. She may also have that inner security that comes from knowing that we - and God - love her for who she is, not something into which the world would like her to change.