Our society has an urgent need for good fathers

Five weeks away from Mother’s Day, it is Father’s Day. The two are complementary. We honour all fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, as well as spiritual fathers, living or dead. Fathers are a blessing to society, and we thank them for blessing us with lives of dedication, endurance, and love. On Father’s Day we acknowledge and appreciate God, our heavenly Father. He is actively involved in all areas of our lives (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6). 

Fatherhood is exalted as the greatest vocation for man. Jesus often referred to God as His heavenly Father. The family gets its name from the father. In Ephesians 3:14-15, St. Paul writes, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” In Matthew 23:9, Jesus denounces those who simply desire to be titled father as a form of honour before men, but without applying it to themselves, to honour and represent the heavenly Father.

God the Father chose St. Joseph from all men to be the foster-father of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25). Joseph faithfully served the Holy Family and protected them from danger so that they could fulfil God’s mission. St. Joseph taught Jesus in his humanity how to be a man. He taught Him how to be a faithful Jew. He taught Him the trade of carpentry. Joseph models well for fathers how to be the spiritual leaders of our families, and how to show the love of God the Father to their wives and children.

Father’s Day is an occasion to be reminded that fatherhood goes beyond biological reproduction. Fathers are expected to be the providers for, and the protectors of the family. It demands commitment. Commitment demands maturity, sacrifice, and love. Fatherhood also demands responsibility. 

The vital importance of the father’s role comes from the fact that, with his wife, he cooperates with God the Creator in bringing a new human life into the world. Children who are raised with fathers present in the family are said to have much lower rates of delinquency, drug and alcohol use, teen pregnancy, and so on, than those with absent fathers. The father’s presence is also a significant positive factor in the children’s getting a college education, finding a satisfying job, and making a lasting marriage. A girl’s choice of spouse and satisfaction in marriage is often directly related to the relationship she has had with her father.

However, today many men are confused about what it means to be a man, a husband, and a father. They abscond their role by resorting to addictions to alcohol, pornography and entertainment (especially sports). They are often absent from the home. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has engendered more challenges for fathers, especially when children have to be at home. Unemployment, poverty, hunger and the like, breed fear, anger, bitterness and despair. The situation calls for enormous courage and enormous trust in God. While addressing a similar pandemic, the 3rd century St Cyprian of Carthage called it to “embrace the benefit of the occasion.” Fathers must be able to pass on the faith to their children more directly. Spiritual fathers and other stakeholders, will do well to intervene. 

Pray for the priests

Today we also remember and pray for our priests, who became spiritual fathers by virtue of the sacrament of ordination. The role of a spiritual father is to raise up a person spiritually, in the ways of God. Paul referred to both Timothy and Titus as his “spiritual” sons (2 Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4). 

As we thank our fathers for their dedication, we also invoke our Heavenly Father’s blessings on all of them.