Mom Heart Moments #128

Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars; she has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table; she has sent out her maidens, she calls from the tops of the heights of the city: “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks understanding she says, “Come, eat of my food and drink of the wine I have mixed. Forsake your folly and live, and proceed in the way of understanding.”

JASON IS THE HERO IN a classic tale from Greek mythology in which he leads a ship of men in a quest for the golden fleece. As all good stories go, there are many adventures, battles, and catastrophes. One particularly dangerous trap is that of the Sirens, described in Homer’s epic poem about Odysseus. The Sirens have the ability to sing beautiful songs that entice sailors to their island, causing them to crash their ships on its shore, meeting death and destruction.

Orpheus comes to Jason’s and the crew’s aid, having the ability to play more beautiful songs, more loudly —thus drowning out the Sirens’ bewitching songs so they can pass by safely.

This story is a paradigm of what we need to consider for our children. When they are young, we not only build foundations of beauty, truth, love, and goodness, but we also saturate them with the celebration of life and the joy of Christ, so they will always consider our homes the most comforting, beautiful, peaceful places to be.

In this world, at this time, the Sirens sing an alluring song. It is our responsibility to figure out how to sing a more beautiful one.

Have you thought of yourself as a singer of beautiful songs for your children, drawing them toward truth? How might this picture inform the ways you interact with them?