Reflection
The Gift of Fathers
On 3 September 2017 we celebrate Fathers’ Day. It is a good time for us to pause and reflect a little on our Fathers and Grandfathers and the Father figures in our life. I encourage us all to not just reflect, but also use this time for action. Use this day as a prompt to speak to these Men, tell them you love them and tell them how grateful you are to have them in our life. Their care, their protection, love and support has helped to shape and mould us into the people we are today.
In the Catholic Tradition we have St Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church as a real and beautiful model of Manhood and Fatherhood. Of course in our Nazareth Community, we look in a special way to the Father figure in the family home of Nazareth. In the scriptures not one word of this is recorded, yet we see clearly a man of faith, a man of action, a man open to God and a man of strength, integrity and justice. As we recall our Father and the Fatherly figures in our life, we ask St Joseph to interceded and pray for these men, that they may give themselves to a life of service to God and His people and that they will be blessed with faith and be able to respond to God’s plan for them as St Joseph did.
We also have in our Catholic tradition the Heavenly Father, the Father, par excellence. Our Father who created us, who knows us better than we know ourselves, who wants what is best for us more than we do ourselves and knows what is best for us better than we do. He is a Father who provides, who protects us, loves us and forgives us. He is a Father who is loyal, reliable and always there for us. Let us take time to be grateful to God our Father for all He gives to us. Let us take time also to open our hearts, offer ourselves to Him and pray that we may live as He desires us to, as it is in living His way we will find our true and lasting joy and do things we never could have imagined.
Holy Family of Nazareth – Be our inspiration and our guide.
Jesus of Nazareth – Help us to grow in faith wisdom and knowledge.