It is not hard to understand that our lives are naturally going to be lived out in relationships with other persons or with things around us. Even the hermit has a life of encounters—with the Creator, or with aspects of creation itself. There is no such thing as being isolated. The stuff of life is based upon how we relate to it all.

One of those relationships which each of us have is with our parents—those who gave us life. There are good and no-so-good parents, but each of us has them. The wisdom of our spiritual parents speaks to us about our natural relationships. Read Sirach 3.3-7: ‘If you respect your father, you can make up for your sins, and if you honor your mother, you are earning great wealth.’

The wisdom here is simply stated in this fashion: how you respond to your parents is exactly how your children will respond to you. Or to amplify the word of Jesus to Saint Peter—your children will become your parents. Sirach continues: ‘If you respect your father, one day your own children will make you happy; the Lord will hear your prayers.’

I believe this is the basis for including the honoring of our parents in the Ten Commandments—how we respond to them will indeed effect and affect our lives. Sirach concludes: ‘If you obey the Lord by honoring your father and making your mother happy, you will live a long life. Obey your parents as if you were their slave.’ It is a matter of obedience to God to honor our parents. That does not mean one has to obey them as adults, but to respect them as from God.