Together on the Journey: A Weekly Word from Archbishop Hebda
In the 18 years that I lived in Italy, I was always somewhat envious that the Italians celebrated Father’s Day on March 19, the feast of Saint Joseph. It’s hard to imagine a better role model for dads. While our American celebration of Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June seems both more arbitrary and more secular, it’s hard to deny that the occasion still resonates deeply with our Catholic sense of the importance of family and fatherhood. I felt privileged to offer Father’s Day blessings at the two parishes where I celebrated this weekend, and I couldn’t help but note the number of multi-generational families that were together in Church.
I was grateful that my siblings marked the occasion by texting favorite photos with our dad, with all of us coming to the conclusion that we were truly blessed by an exceptional father. We miss him dearly and marvel at the depth of his wisdom and love. My brothers and I all try to recall his example when we’re called upon to be fatherly.
Now that my dad has gone to God, Father’s Day presents not only an opportunity to pray for him but also to reflect on how we are blessed by our Heavenly Father. While there are beautiful references to God’s fatherhood in the Old Testament (I love the references in Jeremiah 3:19 and 31:9), it is Jesus who really helps us to see God as our Father. Whether it was in teaching us how to pray, or letting us listen in on his prayer, Jesus invited all of us as his sisters and brothers to have an even more intimate relationship with God the Father.
I love how he encouraged us to always approach God the Father with confidence: “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Mt 7:7-11).
At the time of his passion, Jesus takes us even deeper and begs his “Abba,” his “Daddy,” to allow the cup of his suffering to pass from him, all the while trusting in his Father’s loving will. He makes it clear that it’s appropriate for us as well to call intimately upon our “Abba” with that same deep trust, becoming like children, as He desires (Mt 18:3).
Our patron, St. Paul, clearly understood this. In his Letter to the Romans (Rom 8:12-16), he reminds us that all who are led by the Spirit of God are truly the “children of God” and notes that it is to God that we can cry out “Abba, Father.”
I’m well aware that for many in 2024– including perhaps some of you reading this column – it is sometimes challenging to find comfort in the idea of God as being a compassionate and forgiving father. For those who never or rarely encountered or witnessed fatherly love, the image of God as a loving father might not resonate with human experience. Nonetheless, Jesus tells us how important, comforting, and liberating it can be to turn in all circumstances toward God as our heavenly Father, whether that be with praise (Mt 11:25), with our petitions (Jn 17:1-5), with sorrow (Mk 14:34-36) or with anything else in between.
Please join me this week in praying for all who are fathers or who serve as father figures. May they reflect the love of our Heavenly Father. In that context, please don’t forget to pray for our priests as well. Even when they are younger than we are, we are blessed by their spiritual fatherhood.
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