St Isidore and His Family
On the 19th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St Isidore and His Family.
Isidore was born in Antioch and his father's name was Bandalaon, who was a nobleman in the Roman Empire under Diocletian. His mother's name was Sofia and he had a sister whose name was Ophimia. Their parents raised them in the Christian faith.
When Diocletian apostatized, Bandalaon and his son Isidore left all their possessions and went secretly to a mountain where they lived with a holy man whose name was Abba Samuel.
When the Emperor knew of what had happened, he brought them before him, and he tried to persuade Bandalaon to abandon his Christian faith with promises of wealth. But Bandalaon remained strong and refused the emperor’s temptations. The Emperor grew angry and threatened Bandalaon, who was no longer paying attention to what the Emperor was saying, presumably praying to God. At the Emperor’s decree, a soldier cut off his head.
Young Isidore, who was only twelve years old, witnessed his father’s strength. The guards tortured him with all kinds of horrible tortures. But he endured. His mother and sister were beside him often during his trial, comforting him and strengthening him to endure for the sake of Jesus Christ. In the end, the Emperor ordered all of them to be beheaded. They all received the crowns of life.
Lessons from this story
This story is more than the telling of the life of one saint, but of a family of four saints. Isidore truly was incredible, at such a young age, to endure what is recorded as horrible tortures. But truly he was inspired by his father’s truth in conviction. It is truly important how we practice what we preach when it comes to our children. For they see more than we think they do, and they find out when we are being hypocrites. As my father said to me, “do as I say not as I do.” As child I obey, but as I got older I did not find wisdom in those words. But just saying, “do as I do.” Is not always enough to win the hearts of our youth, for often times we do something without truly explaining why we do it.
I came to the faith late in life, so I asked many questions. Many answers I found, but sometimes the answer was “I don’t know, just tradition I guess.” Or the youth would simply tell me, “Because my parents said to.”
It is not enough to set an example, but to explain the importance of what we do and why we do it, otherwise the youth will be easily discouraged. Our faith is rich with history, steeply found in every liturgy, but not all aspects are universally known. Even some of our daily practices such as, praying, reading the bible, fasting and many more do not resonate with the youth if it comes by command instead of revelation.
St Bandalaon and St Sofia raised their son and daughter in the Christian values. But the depth of a trees roots are not known until the mighty wind comes. Then will the weak rooted trees fall while the strong rooted tree endure.
If we can always take time explain, reveal and enlighten our youth, then we are truly servants of Christ. For in them we invest.

Prayer
Thank you God the children you place in our care, for helping realize they are not our children, but Your children on loan to us. Help us to guide them straight and true through this world unto the path of eternal life.