Teaching Our Faith to Our Children

I was reading a book and came across this quote that made me stop and think, "A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it."

For whatever reason, my mind immediately turned to teaching our children about their faith - not only the theology but the traditions that go with them.  When we don't teach our children about their faith then they grow up not practicing it and not knowing it.  How are their children suppose to learn it?  Orthodoxy is a very experiential faith.  It doesn't end when we leave church on Sunday.  We live it at home, at school, at work.

Do we have a generation that has grown up not attending church every Sunday?  Do we have a generation that puts sports before God on Sunday morning?  Do we have a generation that has forgotten what it is to fast?  Do we have a generation who has forgotten how to come together as a family and pray daily?  Do we have a generation who have not received instructions on some of the traditions of the church - making prosphora, kollyva, vasilopita, etc?  These questions (and many more) may or may not apply to you, your family, or friends - but they've left me thinking...if I fail to pass all this on to my children along with many other parents, will we create a generation void of so much knowledge, experience, and traditions of their faith?

Ahhh...the gifts and responsibilities of parents.