Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
This coming Sunday morning at 9 a.m. we will honor dads and father figures with breakfast in the Parish Hall. All men are invited to attend. This is certainly not mandatory, but please consider sharing something about who your dad and/or father figure is/was with others at your table during breakfast. What did he/they mean to you then and now?
When I think of my dad a mixture of memories come to mind. Most of all, I appreciate the time he spent with me growing up. He told me once that he could not wait to get home from work when my sister and I were kids so that we could play basketball in the backyard or go to the neighborhood park to throw the football. He also taught me how to swim, how to ride a bike, and how to tell a “good” snake from a “bad” snake. (It may sound cliché but being in Louisiana and having a bayou two houses away, there were always snakes around.) He would say, “Grass snakes and Ribbon snakes are ok to touch, but water moccasins are venomous, and we need to keep our distance.” A helpful tip for when you are a curious kid and spend a lot of time outdoors!
After I graduated and moved away, we would often talk over the phone. We did not always agree on certain topics, but I knew his heart was in a good place. In 2020 I was blessed to have spent a few days with him in the hospital before he passed, even though it was during Covid restrictions. We shared stories and he remembered many of the details as if it all happened yesterday. That showed me that those times were important to him, and I cherish how many sacrifices he made for me to do things that simply were not available to him. In that way he is in everything I do today.
There have been other father figures in my life. Coaches, teachers, youth group sponsors, pastors, and ministry-oriented mentors who each had their unique perspectives and lessons to share.
I know that father figure types can be a mixed bag too. Sometimes relationships go sideways and what we remember most is tough to process. In these cases, it can be helpful to remember that Jesus was raised by two fathers. For Christian parents, we partner with God to raise our children as best we can. Joseph was God’s partner and as a parent, a steward of Jesus to be brought up in the faith. Jesus was a carpenter like his earthly dad, which means they must have spent a good deal of time together with Jesus being Joseph’s apprentice. All this to say that time may be one of our greatest gifts to God and to one another.
Whatever your father figure(s) association might be, I hope you can find something for which you are grateful. Consider taking a few moments this week, to remember their part in you.
Blessings, Fr. Jon
