Scripture
for meditation: Matthew 10: 29-31
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So
don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Scripture for
reflection: Jeremiah 20:10-13
For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side!
"Denounce him! Let us denounce him!" say all my familiar friends,
watching for my fall. "Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome
him, and take our revenge on him." But the LORD is with me as a dread
warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me. They
will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will
never be forgotten. O LORD of hosts, who tries the righteous, who sees the
heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance upon them, for to thee have I
committed my cause. Sing to the LORD; praise the LORD! For he has delivered
the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.
Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio
tells us: Father’s Day invites us to ask a very important question – what
does it mean to call God “Father?” To call God “Father” does not mean to say,
of course, that he is an old man with a white beard. Only the second person of
the Blessed Trinity wedded himself to a male human nature in the womb of Mary.
The Father and the Holy Spirit are pure Spirit and transcend male and female,
masculine and feminine (CCC 239). This is no new insight brought to
Christianity by the feminist movement. It has always been taught that the word
“Father”, applied to God, is used by way of analogy. Analogies tell us
something very true despite being imperfect. Until recently, the father was
recognized by Western society as origin, head and provider of the family. To
call the first person of the Trinity “Father” means that he is the origin and
transcendent authority of all and cares for the needs of all. But we all
instinctively know that a father who just pays the bills and barks orders is
not enough. We expect a dad to have an intimate, affectionate relationship with
his children, to spend “quality time” with them. To call God “Father” means,
then, that he is near to us, intimately concerned with us, fond of us, even
crazy about us. He is not the distant, clockmaker God of Thomas Jefferson and
the Deists. This aloof God of the philosophers created the world to run by
virtue of its own natural laws so that he could withdraw and occupy himself with
more interesting pursuits. No, the God whom Jesus calls Father cares about us
and knows us intimately…. He loves us more than we love ourselves and knows us
better than we know ourselves... evil is still at large in the world, and evil
brings trials and tribulations. Our Father will not shelter us from these anymore
than He sheltered Jeremiah or Jesus. A good father doesn’t protect his children
forever from the harsh realities of life, but helps them as they progress
through various stages of development to face the challenges and grow through
the difficulties. Scripture says that even Jesus learned obedience through what
he suffered (Heb 5:8-9). How much more do we need to learn and
mature, and some learning can only take place through suffering. So as a true
Father, he loves us too much to take us out of the fray. But there’s one thing
we can be sure of--He’ll never leave us to fight our battles alone. (http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/634/God___The_Father.html)
Prayer: God our Father,
in your wisdom and love you made all things. Bless these men, that they may be strengthened as Christian fathers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of profound respect. Grant this through Christ our Lord. (The Book of Blessings)
in your wisdom and love you made all things. Bless these men, that they may be strengthened as Christian fathers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of profound respect. Grant this through Christ our Lord. (The Book of Blessings)
My thoughts: I love the idea
that God is “crazy about us.” We tend to think of God as being too busy or too
stern to be crazy about us; but that is not the case! A good father loves his
children enough to meet their needs, protect them from harm, and teach them to
lead good lives. Then he takes the time to enjoy and love them as though they
were the only children on earth. Well, isn’t that exactly what God does for us?
When we are discouraged by the world today, let us run to our Father, as
Jeremiah did. When we feel lost or abandoned, let us remember what Christ tells
us, that God knows how many hairs are on our heads! That is not abandonment!
That is a Father who knows His children. Life isn’t easy. Sometimes we have to
wait a long time for the answer to our prayers, and sometimes we have to suffer
the punishment that comes with our actions. But isn’t that, too, what a good
Father does for his children? Stay close to God in these troubling times,
reform your lives to follow the rules your Father set for you, leave your pride
at the door and tell your Father you are sorry for your sins, and then love Him
with all your heart. That is how much He loves you.
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