Honoring Fathers
On the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, during 
the Year of Saint Joseph1, Pope Francis added seven new invocations to the Litany of Saint Joseph: Guardian of the Redeemer, Servant of Christ, Minister of salvation, Support in difficulties, Patron of exiles, Patron of the afflicted and Patron of the poor. These wonderful invocations speak clearly to our times and they unite us to Good Saint Joseph in an intimate way. In that same personal way, we look to Saint Joseph as our own father, and our fathers look to him for guidance, support and protection.
On one simple June Sunday each year, we honor our fathers, living or deceased. We try our best to do something nice for them and connect with them in a way that they would like and enjoy. Often, we fail. When you ask fathers what they want, the response is usually "just to be with family." How Saint Joseph! The sacrifices they make are endless, unseen and often unknown. How Saint Joseph! They, like Saint Joseph, guard us! They make sure we are safe and protect us at all costs. They serve us through tireless work and countless hours of sacrifice. They serve God and His plan for us by raising their families with respect for all creation. Our fathers support us in all of the difficulties we face. They help all those who come to them in need—they take up causes and fight for the needy and work for the sick.
They might not accomplish these tasks with great sophistication, and they possibly can be a little goofy sometimes. But, we love them for every minute that they try to model Saint Joseph. They are not perfect, and sometimes not present, but we love them nonetheless, because we know that their love for us brought us into the world.
Good Saint Joseph, bless our fathers. Protect them, guide them and inspire them to accept their responsibilities with grace, dignity and joy. Happy Father's Day!
Reference
1) Year of 2021
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