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Hug And Love Them

“God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them. When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who reveres his mother.  Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and, when he prays, is heard.  Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.

My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives.  Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not all the days of his life; kindness to a father will not be forgotten, firmly planted against the debt of your sins—a house raised in justice to you.”
[Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14]

Today is “The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”  The above passage refers to reverence of mothers and fathers with the second part targeting fathers.   For many fathers the question becomes: do you deserve to be revered or reviled?  How many fathers slip away from family at the expense of their sons (and wives and daughters)?   How much time has been invested in their welfare?  

Fathers, our minds already have failed if children are an after-thought or hardly thought of at all.   Kindness to fathers who are among the missing is unlikely and undeserved.    Too many houses have fathers who have raised their children unjustly, and payback is no grieving when fathers have left this earth.

So, with the New Year upon us, fathers, if your family is not “holy” due to your unholiness, it’s time for a resolution to atone for those sins.   For God’s sake: “Hug them; love them!”  

Deacon David Pierce

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