Pray.  Follow the example of St. Monica and storm heaven with your prayers.  Whether it’s a simple Hail Mary every day or a rosary or some other prayer, turn to God with your need.

While every Mass has a specific intention that is offered up for that Mass, every person can have their own private intention, as well.  Be sure to identify your loved ones as your intentions at Mass.  Give them to the Lord, by name, before Mass begins as well as at the offertory.  As the altar is prepared, place your loved ones on it as well, giving them to our Heavenly Father. 

Recognize your own limitations.  No prophet is accepted in his hometown.  Every word you say is weighed with the years of your relationship with your loved one.  Be patient and wise, ready to speak about faith when the opportunity arises, but also recognizing that your loved one might not have the “ears to hear” what you are saying.

Forgive yourself.  You made mistakes, who doesn’t?  But at some point every person, including your loved one, chooses either to accept or reject the faith of their own free will.

• Be willing to sacrifice and offer up sufferings for your loved ones.
• “Pray much and make sacrifices for sinners,” said Our Lady of Fatima to the three shepherd children. 
• “Suffering can also have a redemptive meaning for the sins of others.” (CCC, 1502).
• Turn your tears, every tear, into prayers.
• Ways to do so: take advantage of any aches, pains, burdens that come your way - unite those, even in their “smallness” to the Cross, that saving work of Jesus.
• Choose a day (other than Fridays and Sundays) to more intentionally fast.  You might abstain from meat or some other favorite food that day or from eating between meals, or drink only water.  Choose a way to offer up that sacrifice for your loved one.

Do your best to be a good and joyful example of the faith.  Admit your errors.  Ask for forgiveness. Live with joy and celebrate our faith unabashedly. 

Remain steadfast in the practice of our faith.  You hear a lot of talk about compromise and being tolerant.  Our Lord certainly accompanied people and met them where they were in life.  He also called them out for their sin precisely because He loved them. 

Finding that balance is challenging.  Pray for wisdom and authentic love.

Look around.  You are not alone.  Many parents find themselves in the same spot.  Form prayer groups.  Pray together.  Get together for fellowship, but be sure to avoid gossip.

There is also great consolation in the solidarity we can have with the heartache of our Lord Himself.  Read these Bible passages: Mt 19:16-22; Jn 6:66-67.

People walked away from Jesus.  He knows your tears.