Be Our Guest / Viola Maria Miller

Remember, a father is love

As I remember my late father with much kindness, love and gratitude, I think of my heavenly Father, who loved all of his children so much more.

God sent me an earthly father, who loved me so much that he gave his own blood for my operation as a baby.

This same Father also sent his own son, Jesus, who gave his blood for my very life.

God sent me a father who was always there for me when I was growing up, provided well for his family and was a

joy-filled man who clearly loved his children.

I remember my dad debating the Bible with me when I was a child. I remember his sea blue and very kind eyes, and his strong heart and hands. He often climbed church steeples in his work to provide a living for his eight growing children.

Then I get to thinking about how:

• Our Father in heaven sent us his own son, who died for us on the Cross. That is Love.
• Our Father in heaven gave us the Apostles, who followed Jesus and helped father our early Church. That is Love.
• Our Father in heaven sent us a father who guides our Church, Pope Benedict XVI. That is Love.
• Our Father in heaven sent us an earthly father, St. Joseph, who took care of Jesus. That is Love.
• Our Father in heaven sent us a father patron, St. Joseph, who looks after my parish church, St. Joseph Church in Shelbyville. That is Love.
• Our Father in heaven sent us our priest, who is committed to our spiritual care. With holy affection and deference, we call him “Father.” That is Love.

Our Father in heaven also gave each of us our life—our heart that beats, our eyes that see, our very soul and every breath we take.

He gave us the sun that shines, warms us and grows our food as well as the animals that feed and clothe us, newborn babies and every star that has ever shone in the night sky.

Most of all, the Father gave us Jesus. This gift of Jesus is indescribable in human terms—love beyond comprehension, beyond measure, beyond human understanding and beyond the depth of our being. This love gift of Jesus is such a beautiful gift from the Father.

The next time that you see your own father, give him your tender consideration because he is a gift of Love. Love him with your whole heart.

Love your Father in heaven, and love your father on Earth in every language with the words for “love” and “father”:

• German—Liebe, Papi
• French—Amour, Papa
• Italian—Amore, Babbo
• Dutch—Liefde, Vader
• Turkish—Sevgi, Baba
• Czech—La`ska, Ta`at
• Spanish—Amor, Papa
• Hebrew—sounds like ah-ha-VAH, A-b-ba
• Arabic—sounds like h-u-b-b, Y-a-b-ba
• English—love, Father, Dad, Daddy

How can you honor your Father in heaven on this Father’s Day?

Say the Lord’s Prayer, which Catholics call the “Our Father,” with all your heart and soul at Mass.

Also honor your father by going to Communion and receiving Jesus. That is a great gift.

Another great gift to your earthly father is to offer Jesus to your dad in holy Communion in your heart. A present would be nice too, but Jesus is the greatest gift that you could ever give to your dad.

And remember to give your papa a holy hug on Father’s Day.

“A-b-ba, Father, ah-ha-VAH.”

(Viola Maria Miller is a member of St. Joseph Parish in Shelbyville.) †