I'm a 15 year old trad. I have a problem šŸ™

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Hello, Iā€™m 15 year old traditional catholic teenager. I spend my leisure time in Reading ā€œThe Spiritual combatā€ and ā€œIntroduction to devout lifeā€ with the aim of becoming holy. My father is a hindu and my mom is a catholic. They are saying that reading these books is too much for a 15 year old, and they say it is unnecessary. Am I wrong? Are the books too complex for a 15 year old? Should I stop reading them? Please help me.
 
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Obedience to parents is meritorious. Accept the cross, and read something else. Maybe begin memorizing the Psalter and Wisdom books of the Bible. Trust me, that comes in handy later. These books are not necessary to read, but obeying authority is one of their messages. Follow it and get the grace.

Authority is the moral capacity given by God to someone to obligate a subject to do something. It doesnā€™t have to be wise in your eyes, make sense, etc, as long as it is not sinful, it is best to follow it. God loves when it is done. Parents have natural authority over children.
 
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My Catholic mother once called me a fanatic for wearing a scapular and a miraculous metal as a teenager. Never stop challenging yourself to do better. Read what you want so long as itā€™s not damaging like porn.
 
Not to be a dude, but content rule 11: ā€œDo not give advice to a minor that opposes the instruction of a parent or legal guardian.ā€
 
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They just said that reading those books is not necessary. They didnā€™t outright forbid it.
 
Tradcat1 said:
Should I stop reading them? Please help me.
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At 15, you should obey your parents. There are many, many quotes from saints on how meritorius obedience is; Iā€™ll bet you can find a lot of them by using google.
 
  1. Love your parents. Even if your father doesnā€™t believe, calling him a ā€˜paganā€™ sounds quite strong and disrespectful to me. Obey them when you donā€™t like what they tell you. Study and give them joy. We only have two parents and we must treat them well and foster our relationship with them as much as we can.
  2. Reading good things is always good. The books you mention are good. Are they too much for a 15 year old? It depends on which 15 year old. I read crime and punishment at that age (by the way, great book if you havenā€™t read it yet). Only remember that when youā€™re reading spiritual books, you must read them slowly, in little chunks, and spend time reflecting on what you read and how do you apply it into your own life. But if your parents told you not to read those books, put them aside and read them when youā€™re older. A book that I enjoyed at your age was ā€œThe wayā€, by St. Jose Maria Escriva. Open it wherever you want, read an easy little thought in less than a minute and reflect. Itā€™s great.
  3. However, being holy doesnā€™t consist on reading difficult books. It consists on doing the will of God to the best of our abilities. And when I say to the best, I really mean to the best.
  4. If I were you, Iā€™d also stop labeling myself as a ā€˜traditionalā€™ and just leave the ā€˜catholicā€™ label. Youā€™re either catholic or youā€™re not, regardless of your preference of some kind of external liturgy over another. Your heart is what really matters.
  5. Itā€™s great to know that a young person is trying to search God. Donā€™t give up and be very patient with yourself.
 
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Not the least of which is this strong passage in Sirach:

{3:2} Sons, listen to the judgment of your father, and act accordingly, so that you may be saved.
{3:3} For God has honored the father in the sons, and, when seeking the judgment of the mother, he has confirmed it in the children.
{3:4} He who loves God will plead with him on behalf of sins, and will keep himself away from sin, and will be heeded in the prayers of his days.
{3:5} And, like one who stores up treasure, so also is he who honors his mother.
{3:6} He who honors his father will find happiness in his own children, and he will be heeded in the day of his prayer.
{3:7} He who honors his father will live a long life. And he who obeys his father will be a refreshment to his mother.
{3:8} He who fears the Lord honors his parents, and he will serve them as masters, for it is they who conceived him.
{3:9} In word and deed, and in all things, honor your father with patience,
{3:10} so that a blessing may come to you from him, and so that his blessing may remain to the very end.
{3:11} The blessing of the father strengthens the houses of the sons; but the curse of the mother uproots even its foundation.
{3:12} Do not boast in the disgrace of your father; for his shame is not your glory.
{3:13} For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father, and a father without honor is a discredit to the son.
{3:14} Son, support your father in his old age, and do not grieve him in his life.
{3:15} And if his mind should fail, show kindness; and do not spurn him when you are in your strength. For almsgiving to the father will never be forgotten.
{3:16} For even in return for the sin of the mother, good will be repaid to you.
{3:17} And you will be built up in justice, and you will be remembered in the day of tribulation. And your sins will dissolve like ice in warm weather.
{3:18} What an evil form has he who forsakes his father! And whoever exasperates his mother is accursed by God.
 
I was in a similar situation when I was your age. They may be right, or they might be wrong. Your job as a minor is to obey your parents, and that will gain you much more holiness than reading holy books, and St. Francis de Sales would agree.
 
They said ā€œtoo muchā€ in your words. I wouldnā€™t necessarily interpret that as too complex. They may be asking you to balance your life a bit more.
 
Tradcat1 said:
with the aim of becoming holy.
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My guess is that this ^ is what your parents are talking about when they say ā€˜Itā€™s not necessaryā€™. I would agree if thatā€™s indeed what they mean.

That is to say, reading those books isnā€™t going to make you become holy. It may not even help. And itā€™s definitely not necessary.
 
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If they arenā€™t forbidding you from reading them, then please continue to do so. It sounds like they just donā€™t think itā€™s a good idea. But if they directly tell you to stop, obedience to them comes first šŸ™‚
 
Exactly! They want me to do it. But the problem is my parents are really *protestanized * . My mom never encouraged us to learn catechism. She rejects the sacrament of confession. Iā€™m not proud but I will say this too : Never my mother, or my brother willingly prayed the holy rosary, unless I wanted them to come and pray with me. They say that more than rosary our own prayers help us a lot. They label it as ā€œFormal, written prayersā€ All these years I received communion in a state of mortal sin and I committed a sacrilege for 6 years or moreā€¦ After my first reconciliation I never attended confession again. Even I was not taught to do that when I was young. My mom even wants me to go to the HINDU TEMPLE TO WORSHIP with my dad, to satisfy him. They labele as extremist if I resist to go to a hindu temple. I love and I obey them. But my situation is more pathetic.
 
Please do not receive communion in a state of mortal sin. It is better to not receive the physical communion if you are.
ā€œSt. Paul urges us to examine our conscience: ā€œWhoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.ā€ā€ Instead you can do a spiritual communion:),

"My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen."
I am so sorry your parents have denied you of the sacrament of confession:(
 
Perhaps read through the four Gospels. You might find that more comprehensible, more applicable to your life right now, more enjoyable and informative, and more engaging
 
Maybe your parents are saying this because these things are making you scrupulous and causing depression? They could be right if something like this is the case, because it is true that you are still young and developing.

However, if you have joy in your life and this study brings you more joy and closeness with God, then keep on reading. Age has nothing to do with devoutness and love of God. God the Holy Spirit lights us on fire at different points in our life.
 
Iā€™d sayā€¦stop trying to tell your parents what to do. And that means what to pray, who to pray to, etc. It may be hard for you, but God knew what He was doing when he made them parents, and you, their Child.

Unless they expressly forbid it, go on reading the books that you feel are helping you. Donā€™t beg them to pray with you. Pray for them, silently. Have faith that God is hearing your prayers.

Wishing the best for you and your family. God Bless!
 
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