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Christ asks us to avoid all pride and vainglory. He wants everyone to know how much He loves each one of us; but He does not want priests or teachers to encourage children to start the day by saying: "I am great, I am wonderful, I am proud of being me!" He asks us to aim for humility, rather than concentrating on self-esteem.

It is only too easy to avoid doing God's Will. There are some Christians who neglect the Fourth Commandment about honouring father and mother. It's as if a woman complains that if granny comes to live with them, they won't be able to continue with their dinner parties - and the children will grumble about having to behave at meals.

Just as a school child can learn nothing and make no progress if he opposes his mother's request, and has to be carried screaming into school, so a Catholic can make little progress in prayer or the spiritual life if he or she is constantly 'fighting' - by words, actions and campaigns - against the constant teaching of the Church, and her discipline.

In Mediaeval times, people were taught the truth about the Mass, the central act of our religion, and the greatest means of praising God - through His Son, and His Son's Holy Sacrifice, re-presented in the presence of the Saints, the Holy Souls and the Angels. What is important are prayer, adoration, and the knowledge that we join in the worship of Heaven. (It is because most children are taught only that the Mass is a community meal, that there are so many images given, through Radiant Light, of every aspect of the Holy Sacrifice. The Lord wants every effort made to teach the truth about these Holy Mysteries.)

Those Who encourage children to take a busy part doing 'jobs' during the Sacred Liturgy might make the children feel important but often lead them to become distracted from what is said, and certainly not prayerful. There should be encouragement, rather, for children to know what happens in the Holy Sacrifice, to believe it, to be grateful for God's love and action, and to adore and praise Him.

To pray sincere prayers in the name of Jesus is like being lifted to the top of a high tower, to be poised at the edge of a great abyss, yet confident that the Holy Spirit will carry our prayer to the unseen Father of Light. It is the same Holy Spirit Who carries a soul across the Abyss at death. Woe to those who do not possess the Spirit! We must never drive Him out, but repent like little children, confident of finding forgiveness, and new hope.

We should all be aware that actions have consequences. Everyone deserves to be reminded of these truths: Life ends. There is either Heaven or Hell, in the end, for each of us. That is what every priest and Bishop should say, when he is asked to speak about salvation - even to children. Like adults, children who have reached the age of reason should be encouraged to recognise right and wrong actions, and to form their consciences in accordance with the teaching of the Church.

There is no need to show children pictures of the flames of Hell, or demons; but they do need to be told about the consequences of our lives: that, at death, each person goes towards Heaven or Hell, and that Hell is truly terrible. If these truths are left out, how can children learn the truth about God's justice, and mercy - or about free-will, by which we can choose what to do, but must face the consequences if we walk away from God, and His love, joy and peace?

Children deserve to be told the truth about sin, and not be helped to avoid all subjects which might make some reflect with shame on their own behaviour. Children need to be taught the truth about living in a state of grace, with sins forgiven; and they need to know that it is possible to die a sort of spiritual death, through mortal sin. They should be encouraged to do all they can to please the Blessed Trinity, and to live as true 'children of God'.

God looks down from Heaven, ready to distribute lavish gifts upon us, yet sees many dispirited priests who are too afraid to teach the Faith in its fullness; thus they are unwilling to imitate their Saviour and risk criticism from those they teach; and so they omit to mention the wrongness of adultery, contraceptive use, desertion of spouses, and neglect of children by mothers, and much more. In failing to rescue people from sin they fail in their duty, as if hiding away in a pit, hoping to be unnoticed.

It is normal for grieving parents to want special memorials for their departed child; but they must not fear that the child will be forgotten if they do not arrange a new trust or a charity to perpetuate the child's name. God never forgets his children - whatever age they were, however they died, and whether or not people on earth find that memories fade, to their surprise or embarrassment.

Christ wants everyone to be reminded that life ends. By our choices and actions today we are choosing to move towards Heaven or Hell. Either we are good children of God who will be confident that the Holy Spirit will carry them to Heaven when they die, or we are in danger of falling into the Abyss, to join the demons in Hell, by our own fault. Christ wants each person to think about this question: "What are you doing with your life?"

The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. Just as we help the whole Church by our good deeds, thoughts and prayers, we harm the Church by our sins and failings. Even when Catholics call themselves people of 'loyal dissent', they harm the Body of Christ by their disobedience, their disbelief in Christ's teachings, given through the Church, and their lack of charity as they attack the Church and help to undermine the Faith of those who do believe. Christ looks on, as His own children hurt Him.

Some people in rich countries call people in undeveloped countries 'uncivilised'; but the Lord asks: "How 'civilized' is it, to have hospitals which should be used for healing, entirely dedicated to reaching out to living children of all sizes, to tear them from their mother's wombs?!"

The picture represents the burial ground of past civilisations which have risen in triumph then eventually decayed, or been destroyed. A nation destroys itself if it kills its own children; that should be obvious, though it is a truth ignored by those who promote evil laws, such as those which make possible an even greater number of abortions.

A little child can scream for attention, and dispute every instruction from his mother, so ending up alone and miserable - or he can co-operate, and experience her companionship, her wise words, and her consolations; and so it is in the Church. A Catholic can disbelieve parts of the Faith, grumble about discipline, speak with hostility about the Pope, and become a slave to his own opinions, or he can choose to co-operate with God and the Church, and in that trust and obedience find not slavery but freedom, and joy, and peace of soul, and hope.

Throughout history, people have called out to a god or 'gods' in the hope of being heard, but uncertain of it. If we belong to Christ by Baptism, and live in a state of grace, we can be certain that every prayer we offer is heard, and is answered in a way that is best for us. It's as if, when we pray, Jesus lowers a pail from Heaven, to draw up our prayers and petitions, as if up a well-lit shaft. Then He reads each prayer, in person, to God the Father. This is only one of the joys and privileges of being brothers and sisters of Christ, and adopted 'children of God'.

Water flows downstream, because of the law of gravity. This is the normal way, planned by God. Likewise, He has plans for families. It is usual for a child to be conceived of two parents: a man and a woman. It is the Will of God that children are looked after by a mother and a father, or, in case of tragedy, by a substitute mother and father.

The gift of a child is meant to bring joy and gratitude to all members of a family. It pleases God to see people welcome a pregnancy and to look forward hopefully to the birth. It gives Him joy when people do not grumble about 'inconvenience', as many might call it, or about hard work, but see the life of a child as a gift from God.

Children deserve to be helped to reflect on their behaviour. When Bishops and others hand on the Faith to children, they should ask: Are you worthy to enter Heaven's glory, when your life ends? Are you ready to be carried by the Holy Spirit, across the Abyss, into the purity of the Godhead? Are you willing to prepare for that time?