FATHERS 2018
ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
JUNE 17, 2018
- PAUL COULD WELL BE SPEAKING TO FATHERS WHEN HE SAYS: “WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT”; “WE ARE ALWAYS COURAGEOUS”; “WE MUST ALL APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF GOD.” WE EXPECT FATHERS TO ALWAYS WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT ALONE. WE EXPECT FATHERS TO BE COURAGEOUS. WE EXPECT FATHERS TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY WILL APPEAR SOME DAY BEFORE THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF GOD.
LET ME TELL YOU TWO STORIES OF FAITH, COURAGE AND CONSCIENCE.
A YOUNG, ANXIOUS MARINE WAS TAKEN BY A NURSE TO THE BEDSIDE OF A DYING MAN. "YOUR SON IS HERE," SHE SAID TO THE OLD MAN. SHE HAD TO REPEAT THE WORDS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE PATIENT'S EYES OPENED.
HEAVILY SEDATED BECAUSE OF THE PAIN FROM HIS HEART ATTACK, HE DIMLY SAW THE YOUNG UNIFORMED MARINE STANDING OUTSIDE THE OXYGEN TENT. HE REACHED OUT HIS HAND. THE MARINE WRAPPED HIS TOUGHENED FINGERS AROUND THE OLD MAN'S HAND. SQUEEZING A MESSAGE OF LOVE AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
THE NURSE BROUGHT A CHAIR SO THAT THE MARINE COULD SIT BESIDE THE BED. ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT THE YOUNG MARINE SAT THERE IN THE POORLY LIGHTED WARD, HOLDING THE OLD MAN'S HAND AND OFFERING HIM WORDS OF LOVE AND STRENGTH.
OCCASIONALLY, THE NURSE SUGGESTED THAT THE MARINE MOVE AWAY AND REST AWHILE. HE REFUSED.
WHENEVER THE NURSE CAME INTO THE WARD, THE MARINE WAS OBLIVIOUS OF HER AND OF THE NIGHT NOISES OF THE HOSPITAL - THE CLANKING OF THE OXYGEN TANK, THE LAUGHTER OF THE NIGHT STAFF MEMBERS EXCHANGING GREETINGS, THE CRIES AND MOANS OF THE OTHER PATIENTS.
NOW AND THEN SHE HEARD HIM SAY A FEW GENTLE WORDS. THE DYING MAN SAID NOTHING. HE HELD TIGHTLY TO THE MARINE’S HAND ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT.
ALONG TOWARDS DAWN, THE OLD MAN DIED. THE MARINE RELEASED THE NOW LIFELESS HAND HE HAD BEEN HOLDING AND WENT TO TELL THE NURSE. WHILE SHE DID WHAT SHE HAD TO DO, HE WAITED.
FINALLY, SHE RETURNED. SHE STARTED TO OFFER WORDS OF SYMPATHY, BUT THE MARINE INTERRUPTED HER. HE SAID: "WHO WAS THAT MAN?"
THE NURSE WAS STARTLED, "HE WAS YOUR FATHER," SHE ANSWERED, WONDERING WHY HE WAS ASKING HER.
"HE ISN’T MY FATHER" THE MARINE REPLIED. "I NEVER SAW HIM BEFORE IN MY LIFE."
"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING WHEN I TOOK YOU TO HIM?"
“WELL I THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE SOME MISTAKE HERE BUT I ALSO KNEW THAT A DYING MAN NEEDS HIS SON, AND HIS SON JUST WASN'T HERE. I REALIZED THAT HE WAS TOO SICK TO TELL WHETHER OR NOT I WAS HIS SON. I KNEW HOW MUCH HE NEEDED ME.
I CAME HERE TONIGHT TO FIND A MR. WILLIAM GREY. HIS SON WAS KILLED IN IRAQ TODAY, AND I WAS SENT TO INFORM HIM. WHAT WAS THIS GENTLEMAN'S NAME? THE NURSE WITH TEARS IN HER EYES ANSWERED, "MR. WILLIAM GREY ..." (NIGHT WATCH” – BY ROY POPKIN)
EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN’T KNOW WHO HE WAS MINSTERING TO THE YOUNG MARINE BROUGHT COMFORT AND PEACE TO A DYING MAN.
SOME GOOD FATHER TAUGHT THAT YOUNG MARINE TO LIVE RESPONSIBLY, TO CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE, TO FACE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS WITH COURAGE AND DIGNITY AND TO MAKE UNCOMFORTABLE SACRIFICES IF THEY CAN POSSIBLY HELP OTHERS.
TODAY WE HONOR OUR FATHERS LIVING AND DECEASED. THEY WERE ROLE MODELS, MENTORS, COUNSELORS AND THE MEN WHO GAVE SO MUCH OF THEMSELVES TO MAKE OUR LIVES HAPPY AND PRODUCTIVE. THEY ARE OUR HEROES.
FATHERS WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS LIFE THE ONLY THING YOU WILL LEAVE BEHIND ARE MEMORIES. THOSE OF US WHO HAVE LOST OUR FATHERS ONLY HAVE THE MEMORIES THEY LEFT BEHIND.ON THIS FATHER’S DAY I WANT TO REMIND ALL FATHERS TO REFLECT ON THE MEMORIES THAT YOU HAVE OF YOUR FATHER.
BUT MORE IMPORTANT I WANT YOU TO REFLECT ON THE MEMORIES YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO HAVE OF THEIR FATHER. FATHERS, THERE IS NO NEED FOR YOU TO REGRET THE PAST.YOU STILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME. YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO FORGIVE, TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND TO RECONCILE. YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO BUILD NOBLE MEMORIES.
HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO REMEMBER YOU? THAT YOU LOVED THEM—TELL THEM NOW. THAT YOU WERE A MAN OF FAITH—SHOW THEM NOW. THAT YOU WERE A MAN OF GOOD CHARACTER—YOU STILL HAVE DECISIONS TO MAKE. THAT YOU TAUGHT THEM THEIR PRAYERS. TEACH THEM NOW. THAT YOU LED THEM TO THE CONFESSIONAL—THAT YOU TOOK THEM FOR VISITS TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL. THAT YOU NEVER MISSED MASS ON SUNDAY IF YOU COULD POSSIBLY GET THERE?
HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO REMEMBER YOU? THAT YOU ALWAYS RESPECTED THEIR MOTHER? I KNOW A MAN WHO TOOK HIS CHILDREN ASIDE AND SAID TO THEM IN A NO-NONSENSE VOICE.”I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SHE IS NOT JUST YOUR MOTHER SHE IS MY WIFE. AND I DON’T ALLOW ANYBODY TO TREAT MY WIFE WITH DISRESPECT.”
DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO BE PROUD OF THEIR FATHER BECAUSE HE WAS A MAN OF INTEGRITY? WILL THEY BE ABLE TO SAY MY FATHER WAS AN HONORABLE AND KIND MAN?
A YOUNG MAN GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL. HE HAD GREAT AMBITION AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. A GOOD COLLEGE HAD ACCEPTED HIM AND HIS FATHER WAS GOING TO ASSIST HIM ALL THE WAY THROUGH SCHOOL.THE BOY NEEDED A CAR AND WAS CERTAIN THAT HIS FATHER WOULD GIVE HIM A CAR AS A GRADUATION PRESENT.
AT THE END OF A BIG GRADUATION PARTY, THE FATHER CALLED THE BOY ASIDE QUIETLY. THE FATHER SAID TO HIM MY SON THE WORLD IS FULL OF TEMPTATIONS. ONCE YOU LEAVE HOME YOU WILL FACE THE ALLUREMENT OF SEX, DRUGS, PORNOGRAPHY, ALCOHOL AND EVERY EVIL IMAGINABLE.
THE SON HEARD WHAT HIS FATHER SAID BUT HE COULDN’T GET HIS MIND OFF OF THE CAR. HE WAS WAITING ANXIOUSLY FOR THE GIFT. HE THOUGHT SURE IT WOULD BE A CAR. THE FATHER GAVE HIS SON A BEAUTIFUL BIBLE. HE SAID “TAKE THIS MY SON. IN IT YOU WILL FIND WISDOM AND TREASURES OF EVERY SORT. THE WORD OF GOD WILL INSTRUCT YOU. YOU WILL BECOME A FINE MAN”.
THE BOY WAS FURIOUS. A BIBLE? NO CAR? WHAT WOULD HIS FRIENDS THINK? HE ABRUPTLY LEFT THE ROOM AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER WAS NEVER THE SAME.
THE SON RESENTED HIS FATHER AND HAD LITTLE TO DO WITH HIM IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED.
TIME PASSED AND THE FATHER DIED. THE SON WAS ASKED TO READ A SCRIPTURE VERSE AT THE FATHER’S FUNERAL. FOR THE FIRST TIME HE OPENED THE BIBLE THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN TO HIM ON HIS GRADUATION DAY. INSIDE THE BIBLE HE FOUND A PERSONAL CHECK FOR $20,000.
WITH THE CHECK THERE WAS A NOTE FROM HIS FATHER. THE BOY READ THE NOTE: MY SON I AM SO PROUD OF YOU THIS DAY! I CANNOT ALWAYS BE WITH YOU BUT THE WORD OF GOD WILL INSTRUCT YOU ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. ENCLOSED IS A CHECK FOR YOUR CAR. THIS BIBLE IS TO GUIDE YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE FOR THERE WILL BE MILES THAT YOU WILL TRAVEL WITHOUT ME AT YOUR SIDE. I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH. DAD.
THE YOUNG MAN WEPT LIKE HE NEVER WEPT BEFORE.
THE FATHER WAS A MAN OF PROFOUND FAITH. HE LOVED HIS SON. HE WAS A GENEROUS MAN. HE TRIED TO TEACH HIS SON WHAT WAS IMPORTANT IN LIFE BUT SOMEHOW THE SON WAS TOO SHALLOW TO ABSORB HIS FATHER’S WISDOM. HIS PRIDE, HIS SELFISHNESS, AND HIS IMMATURITY BLINDED HIM TO HIS FATHER’S KINDNESS.
WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT CHILDREN LEARN THE LESSONS THAT HONORABLE PARENTS TRY TO TEACH THEM. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THEY PASS THEM ON TO THEIR OWN CHILDREN.
FATHERS, GOD THE FATHER HONORED YOU AND EMPOWERED YOU WHEN HE GAVE YOU THE SAME TITLE AS HE GAVE HIMSELF. YOU NEED TO BE MEN OF FAITH. YOU NEED TO BE SPIRITUAL LEADERS IN YOUR HOME. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE YOU NEED TO HAVE A STRONG CONVICTION ABOUT WHAT YOU STAND FOR AND WHAT YOU WOULD DIE FOR. YOUR CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD DIE FOR.
FATHERS, I KNOW THAT YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN MORE THAN THE WORLD LOVES THEM. I KNOW THAT YOU WANT THEM TO SAVE THEIR SOULS. DON’T ALLOW OUTSIDE FORCES TO INVADE YOUR HOME AND NULLIFY EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TAUGHT THEM. YOU DON’T HAVE A MINUTE TO LOSE.YOU MUST REACH THEM FIRST BEFORE THE WORLD POISONS THEM. GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A LITTLE MORE TIME. MAKE THE MOST OF IT.
GOD OUR FATHER IN YOUR WISDOM AND LOVE YOU MADE ALL THINGS. BLESS THESE MEN THAT THEY MAY BE STENGTHENED 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 AND GRATITUDE. GIFT THEM WITH A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE. GRANT THIS THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN.