On Father’s Day, let’s celebrate those who are like fathers to us. I’m thinking of foster fathers, stepfathers, uncles, priests, pastors, coaches, teachers, big brothers and even neighbors who have taken time to be fatherly, to encourage and teach and to help us mature. Like Saint Joseph and all fathers, they too should be honored on Father’s Day.
St. Joseph is the archetypal foster father. How terrified and unworthy he must have felt when he realized God was asking him to be the Messiah’s earthly father! Yet he accepted God’s plan for him with courage. He taught his son and lord, Jesus, to work well as a carpenter and raised him in a loving and devout Jewish family. Our Lord spent most of his time on earth in this ordinary life and remained the son of the carpenter even as He revealed His divinity.
Since I embarked on my travels, a statue of St. Joseph holding Jesus looks over the entrance to my tiny house on wheels. I like this reminder that I can ask him as my foster father to pray for me and others.
Through the intercession of Saint Joseph, my painful relationship with my own father has in many ways been healed, in that I am at peace. Thanks to God’s grace, I can pray for my father and others on this Father’s Day and ask that all family rifts be healed.
I invite you to join me in asking St. Joseph to intercede so that earthly fathers may grow to resemble Our Heavenly Father. Let us pray that those sons and daughters whose experience of fathers is one of neglect, shame, or fear may be healed. May the aching gap in the hearts of those who lack a father’s love and support be filled with the love of God as our Father and the love of St. Joseph as our foster father, so they may experience the joy of knowing they are beloved children of God.
Perhaps the images below will help inspire you and all the fatherly men in your lives with that knowledge. I’ve posted a few more on the Tin Can Pilgrim facebook page too.
Happy Father’s Day!
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