Mark Mallet has an interesting little piece on his last blog whcih I quote from here: Question: What do I tell my children about these days and what may be coming? There are many controversial things Jesus said and did publicly, including denouncing the Pharisees and cleansing the temple with a whip. But according to Mark, Jesus spoke about the "end times" privately with just Peter, James, John, and Andrew (see Mk 13:3; cf. Matt 24:3). Perhaps it is because these were the Apostles who witnessed the Transfiguration (except for Andrew). They saw the astounding glory of Jesus, and so knew more than any other human beings the tremendous "end of the story" which awaits the world. Given this glorious preview, perhaps only they could handle at the time the knowledge of the "labor pains" which would precede His return. Maybe we should imitate our Lord’s wisdom on this when it comes to our children. Our little ones first and foremost need to know that tremendous "end of the story." They need to understand the "good news" and the big picture of how Jesus will return on the clouds to receive into the Kingdom all those who have said "yes" to Him with their lives. This is the primary message, the "Great Commission." It seems to me that when our children grow into a personal relationship with Jesus, they have a deeper understanding and perception of the world and times they live in through the quiet activity of the Holy Spirit. As such, their questions, or distress with the sinful state of the world that they see around them will be an opportunity for you to share more deeply the "signs of the times." You can explain that just as a mother has to go through some pain in order to give birth to new life, so too does our world have to pass through a time of pain in order to be renewed. But the message is one of hope for new life! Regarding the urgent message to "prepare", this is best explained to them by what you do to prepare. Your life should reflect a pilgrim mentality: a spirit of poverty resisting materialism, gluttony, drunkenness, and excessive consumption of television. In this way, your life says to your children, "This is not my home! I am preparing to spend eternity with God. My life, my actions, yes, the warp and woof of my day are centered on Him because He is everything to me." In this way, your life becomes a living eschatology—a witness of living in the present moment so as to dwell forever in the eternal moment. (Eschatology is the theology concerned with the final things.) On a personal note, I have shared select writings with my older children who are in their early teens. Occasionally, they overhear me discussing my writings with my wife. And so, they have a basic understanding that we need to live in a state of preparedness as our Lord commanded us to. But that is not my central concern. Rather, it is that we as a family learn to love God and one another, and to love our neighbour, especially our enemies. For what good is it to know of coming events if I am devoid of love? If I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge… but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Cor 13:2)
