Father’s Day

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example, father's day, fatherhood, lessons, memories, psalm 8, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wisdom

This morning I am greeted with a rush of memories and feelings like smiles inside as I think of my father. A devout Catholic, my father loved the prayers and rituals of the Church and I can see his face as he humbly blessed himself “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” especially on this feast of the Holy Trinity.

As I read Psalm 8 just now (definitely my favorite of them all), I feel my father’s amazement in experiencing the beauty of nature. Whether on our front porch with us during a storm so that we would never fear thunder and lightning (although respecting the power by taking us inside when necessary) or floating effortlessly for hours on his back in the ocean at Cape Cod, his peace was palpable.

My father taught by example mostly and the lessons remain. I pray today in thanksgiving for the blessings bestowed on myself and my siblings, my cousins and the wider world of friends and co-workers as well as, of course, my mother, with whom he made love the purpose and center of his life.

I pray as well today for all fathers that wisdom may guide their steps, that their children may respect their efforts and that they have what they need of strength and the resources necessary to be equal to the role of fatherhood. May it be so!

Father’s Day

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caring, Father, father's day, Galatians, gratitude, holy, humble, Jesus, love of God, Luke, St. Paul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today is one of those days when I find it difficult to determine a topic for reflection, not because there is nothing in the Scripture or from another source that draws me. Rather, the dilemma is choosing from a number of possibilities. The gospel text has Jesus asking, “Who do you say I am?” (LK 9:18-24), St. Paul speaks eloquently about our unity with his famous declaration that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free person, male or female…” (GAL 3:26-29) and Psalm 69 fairly drips with longing, crying out to God, “For you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts like the earth parched, lifeless and without water…” I guess each of those citations speaks for itself, providing enough of a prompt for reflection without any need for commentary.

In that case, I will take the opportunity to say a word about Father’s Day. Now that I have cleared the way, however, I find it difficult to articulate anything of value because there is such diversity of relationship with fathers. So I decide to speak of my own experience and again words do not come easily. As with the Scriptures, there is too much to say about my father. I was incredibly blessed and proud to have been so loved in my life by such a bright, caring, humble, responsible, joyful, sincere, holy man. Oh yes, and there was that stubborn streak…One of the best gifts my father shared was his love of God. By example mostly, it was clear that everything in his life flowed from his faith and devotion. Actually, I could simply point to the day’s Scripture readings for a description of how God was in his life.

So here I am, back to the beginning with too much to say, so enough said! With a smile of remembrance as my companion I will spend the day in gratitude for my father and send a hope that the experience of fatherly love might touch each life sometime in some way.