Today is Father's Day. We celebrate with our Earthly fathers as well as with our Heavenly Father.
At Mass, Fr. Mark gave a special blessing to all the fathers and we all applauded afterwards. Clapping during Mass is not very typical, but when you think about the reason he chose to have us do this, I think it is interesting. For Mother's day, when the mothers stand to receive the blessing, each row has several mothers standing in it. However, today, there were not near as many fathers. They were just sprinkled about the church. Why is that?
Is it that the fathers have to work on weekends, such as my husband? Is it because they are just choosing not to attend Mass with their family? Is it because they are not Catholic? Or is it because they are not around? All are definite possibilities, but I still found it odd that the church would be filled with so many less fathers than mothers. Do mother's make it more of a priority to be there with their children?
But on the other hand, that also says something for the men who were there. As I was looking around at many of those men that I know, I was thinking to myself, what an example they are setting for their children. These loving men who are taking the example from our Heavenly Father and teaching their children the way of the Cross. They are definitely to be applauded. Rather than skipping out and going golfing, watching the game, or going fishing, they are with their family, worshiping the Lord and honoring the Sabbath. Definitely something worth clapping about.
Many people see God through their relationship with their own earthly father. This can be good or bad. God sets the example of a loving, wise, and forgiving father but unfortunately, not all men follow that example. If you are not as lucky to have an earthly father who strives to be like our Lord, at least we can take comfort that God will love us forever. He is patient, kind, supportive, forgiving, and will never let us down. So even if your own relationship with your father is not good, do not judge God by that standard. He is not abusive, hurtful, unforgiving, and unsupportive. He is the standard that all men on earth should strive to duplicate.
We continue to pray for our fathers, grandfathers, Godfathers, and priests; that God grants them special blessings to allow them to be a symbol of His love for us all. Amen.
Is it that the fathers have to work on weekends, such as my husband? Is it because they are just choosing not to attend Mass with their family? Is it because they are not Catholic? Or is it because they are not around? All are definite possibilities, but I still found it odd that the church would be filled with so many less fathers than mothers. Do mother's make it more of a priority to be there with their children?
But on the other hand, that also says something for the men who were there. As I was looking around at many of those men that I know, I was thinking to myself, what an example they are setting for their children. These loving men who are taking the example from our Heavenly Father and teaching their children the way of the Cross. They are definitely to be applauded. Rather than skipping out and going golfing, watching the game, or going fishing, they are with their family, worshiping the Lord and honoring the Sabbath. Definitely something worth clapping about. Many people see God through their relationship with their own earthly father. This can be good or bad. God sets the example of a loving, wise, and forgiving father but unfortunately, not all men follow that example. If you are not as lucky to have an earthly father who strives to be like our Lord, at least we can take comfort that God will love us forever. He is patient, kind, supportive, forgiving, and will never let us down. So even if your own relationship with your father is not good, do not judge God by that standard. He is not abusive, hurtful, unforgiving, and unsupportive. He is the standard that all men on earth should strive to duplicate.
We continue to pray for our fathers, grandfathers, Godfathers, and priests; that God grants them special blessings to allow them to be a symbol of His love for us all. Amen. 
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