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SPIRITUAL AND DIVINE APPROACH TO ADDICTION
Lack of Love:
Primary Cause For Addiction
Most addicts have one
thing in common: they have never experienced the sincere and true love from
people who are expected to give this kind of love longed by them for
sometime.
The addicts resort to drug use because most of them felt and
assumed that they are being abandoned, neglected and unattended to by their
parents. They are being discriminated and ill-treated by their parents.
Their parents play favorites. They began to hate their brothers and sisters
favored by their parents. They use drug to rebel and to catch attention of
their parents, of their brothers and sisters. To them their parents are
irresponsible neglectful of their duties and partial in their treatment.
They not only find contentment in the use of their favoritedrugs, they also
find enjoyment in the company of their friend addicts during their
socialization known as "pot sessions." They feel excited. They feel proud,
smarter and wiser in their "hide and seek" with the narcotic
enforcers.
They never thought they are heading to a wrong dreadful
direction: the road to addictions and the inevitable consequences of facing
the risky and unwanted lives of the addicts and for siding with the evil
one.
If they did it because of lack of love. Addiction can be prevented
by giving much of it.
Responsibility of the Parents
One Evangelist said: "The restoration and upliftment of humanity begins
in the home." The work of parents underlies every other "for the heart of
the community, of the Church and of the nation, is the household; that is,
the "well-being of society,the success of the church, the prosperity of the
nation depends upon home influences."
The Holy Family in Nazareth should
serve as an example for every home, for every family.
The behavior of the
present youth and children depends the future of society and our nation. So
parents may lay for their children the foundation for a healthy, happy
life. They may send them forth from their homes with moral stamina to
resist temptation, and courage and strength to wrestle successfully with
life's problems. They may inspire in them the purpose and develop the power
to make their lives an honor to God and a blessing to the world. "Youth
need a hand stretched out to them in sympathy. Kind words, simply spoken,
little attentions simply bestowed, will sweep away the clouds of temptation
which gather over the soul." "Let parents surround their children with an
atmosphere of cheerfulness, courtesy, and love. A home where love dwells,
and where it is expressed in looks, in words,and in acts, is a place where
angels delight to manifest their presence." The home should be to the
children the most attractive place in the world, and the mother's presence
should be its greatest attraction. By gentle discipline, in loving words
and acts, mothers may bind their children to their hearts.[White,
ibid].encourage them when they are sick to think of Christ suffering, to
invoke the aid of the Blessed Virgin and the saints? Do you say the family
Rosary together? And you, fathers, do you pray with your children, with the
whole domestic community, at least sometimes? Your example of honesty in
thought and action, joined to some common prayer, is a lesson for life, an
act of worship of singular value. In this may you bring peace to your
homes: Pax huic domui. Remember it is thus that you build up the Church."
Finally, and as further noted, the Book of Sirach not only writes about
the training of children by their parents but also enumerates the duties of
children towards their parents. Thus,
"He who loves is son chastises him often, that he may be his
joy when
he grows up. He who disciplines his son will benefit
from him, and boast
of him among his intimates. He who
educates his son makes his enemies
jealous, and shows his
delight in him among his friends. At the
father's death, he will
seem not dead, since he leaves after him one
like himself. Whom he looks upon through life with joy, and even death,
without regrets; the avenger he leaves against his foes, and the
one to
repay his friends with kindness. He who spoils his son will
have wounds
to bondage, and will quake inwardly at every
outcry. A colt untamed
turns out stubborn; a son left to himself
grows up unruly. Pamper your
child and he will be a terror for
you, indulge him and he will bring you
grief. Share not in his
frivolity lest you share in his sorrow, when
finally our teeth
are clenched in remorse. Give him not his own way in
his
youth, and close not your eyes to his follies. Bend him to yoke
when he is young, thrash his sides while he still small, Lest he
become
stubborn, disobey you, and leave your disconsolate.
Discipline your son,
make heavy his yoke, lest his follow humiliate
you. [Sirach, 30:1-3].
On the part of the children in relation to their parents:
"Children, pay heed to a father's right; do so that you may live.
For
the Lord sets a father in honor over his children; a mother's
authority
he confirms over her sons. He who honors his father
atones for sins; he
stores up riches who reveres his mother. He
who honors his father a
gladdened by children, and when he
prays he is heard. He who reveres his
father will live a long life;
he obeys the Lord who brings comfort to
his mother. He who
fears the Lord honors his father, and serves his
parents as rulers.
In word and deed, honor your father that this
blessings gives a
family firm roots, but a mother's curse uproots the
growing
plant. Glory not in your father's share, for his shame is no
glory
to you! His father's honor is man's glory; disgrace for her
children, a mother's shame. My son, take care of your father
when he is
old; grieve him not as long as he lives. Even if his mind
fail, be
considerate with him; revile him not in the fullness of your
strength.
For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, it will
serve as a sin
offering it wil take lasting root. In tiem of tabulation
it wil be
recalled to your advantage, like w armth upon forest it
will melt away
your sins. A blasphemer is he who despises his
father; accursed of his
Creator, he who angers his mother [Sirach
4:1-16].
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