Happy Father's Day to all the fathers and soon to be fathers and also to our spiritual fathers. Since it is father's day today. Let's try to meditate on the readings with fatherhood in mind.
Father's Day according to wiki, was thought of to complement Mother's day. While it is a commercial event and was initiated by the secular world (started in Spokane, Washington, US), the Catholic Church has acknowledged to honor the all the fathers on this day, and imparts special blessings to fathers during mass. I love being prayed over :)
Having children of my own has given me a chance to experience fatherhood. It is truly a noble calling to be a head of the house. It is no easy task. It requires so much love, energy and effort to meet the needs of your family. The same can be said also of becoming a priest (spiritual fatherhood), but in that sense I can only imagine how hard it must be to take care of so many spiritual children, because I only have three and there are times when I'm pulling my hair apart.
Today, I see all these greetings on social networks, cards/ecards and greetings that shows how much we appreciate our fathers. Words such as..."#1 Dad", "You're the best dad ever", "Enjoy your day"...etc. These are all nice gestures and expression of our feelings and I take it to heart. However, when I reflect on my fatherhood...I am nowhere close to being #1...nowhere close to being the best dad ever...nowhere close to being "there is no dad like you"...I feel so undeserving (and I am not trying to say this to be humble). The reason why I say this is because I am human, and therefore as human...I make mistakes, I get tired, I ran out of patience sometimes. But there is one thing that helps me to be the father that God wants me to be. Dr. Scott Hahn puts it in word so perfectly in his Sundays reflection "God himself will empower the works he expects from us; though we may freely choose to correspond to his grace.". It is only by the grace of God that I am able to love even when I'm physical tired, to forgive when I'm running out of patience.
Brothers and sisters:
We are always courageous,
although we know that while we are at home in the body
we are away from the Lord,
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Yet we are courageous,
and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.
Therefore, we aspire to please him,
whether we are at home or away.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each may receive recompense,
according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.
We are always courageous,
although we know that while we are at home in the body
we are away from the Lord,
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Yet we are courageous,
and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.
Therefore, we aspire to please him,
whether we are at home or away.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each may receive recompense,
according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.
(2 Cor 5:6-10)
The gospel today is so fitting for us to reflect on as fathers...and not just fathers, but to all of us. Let us compare ourselves to the mustard seed. Will we allow God to work through us and turn us into a beautiful tree and be a branch to others? Or will we succumb to our worldly desires and secular view of fatherhood and dry up and wither like those seeds that feel on thorny and rocky soil. It takes humility to know that we are nothing without Christ...
Lord grant us the grace and humility to know that in you we can accomplish everything, help us not to offend you anymore even with the smallest sin. And grant us the grace to become the father you want us to be, for you alone are the source of all that we need. In Jesus name we pray. Happy Fathers Day Lord! The Best Dad Ever! Amen
Jesus Loves You!
No comments:
Post a Comment