The success of Elijah's mission in life depended on giving a double portion of his spirit to his disciple, Elisha. This is a Jewish way of saying that Elijah had to pass on his ministry and power to Elisha. Elijah realized it was not easy to do this (2 Kgs 2:10). Likewise, it is extremely important for parents to pass on their faith to their children. Precisely because this is so vitally important, Satan makes it difficult to do. Also, it is critical that elderly Christians make disciples of young people so that the youth will be able to "stand on the shoulders" of those Christians who have gone before them. Thus, they will be in a position to permeate our culture with the gospel (see Catechism, 899) instead of being drowned in secular humanism. The Lord wants to build His Church (see Mt 16:18) and not have to repeatedly start over.

Although it is not easy to make disciples of young people and thereby make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19), we will make disciples for Jesus, build the Church, and place the world of the future at the feet of Jesus because the Lord always gives us the grace to obey His commands. The One in us is greater than the one in the world (1 Jn 4:4). "In all this we are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us" (Rm 8:37).

Fix your eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2). Trust and obey the Lord. Jesus promised: "On this rock I will build My church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it" (Mt 16:18).

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, December 16, 1999

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 18, 1999