posted on June 18, 2010 08:50
For many of us, a model of a good or great father comes easily to mind. We see the face, remember the touch and hear the voice of our own father. It is true that we learn the meaning of “fatherly strength, fatherly virtue, fatherly love” from experience and our own reflection upon it. Whatever size, shape, color or heritage our father’s had, they modeled certain characteristics that have a universal relevance and wisdom. Among the virtues that come to mind for me are dependability and duty, patience and availability, life experience and optimism, truthfulness and simplicity. In the case of my own father, these all were expressed with a love that was strong but not stifling or overpowering. I was given the chance to experiment, fail, risk and succeed. I was required to stay close to family and home but allowed to roam with a freedom that respected my individuality and gifts. This form of “fatherly protection” has served as an example to me as I have tried to be a “spiritual father” to many during my thirty-five years of priestly ministry.
In the spirituality of our church, there are not many men, with the exception of Saint Joseph, who have been reverenced specifically because they were good fathers. For them, the way of holiness was the way of fatherhood. To put it another way, they fathered their way into heaven. One of these fathers who has always meant a lot to me was Louis Martin, the father of Saint Therese of Lisieux. He was a watchmaker, father of a large family and a loving husband to his wife Zelie. Biographers describe him as patient, hardworking and devout. It is not; however, these virtues that mean so much to me as the trust that he had in God’s providence and the freedom that he gave his children to follow their dreams. In the case of Therese, it was freedom to follow her visions.
Louis listened to his youngest daughter when at fourteen she felt called to live a cloistered life as a Carmelite nun. He was not crazy about the idea but realized that there was something going on that was special and unique in Therese’s passion and zeal for the conversion of sinners and for the missions. He took her to see Pope Leo XIII who told them “If it is God’s will, you will enter”. She entered the next year at age fifteen. Her “Little Way” of holiness, of doing even the most humble things with extraordinary love and attentiveness to God’s will became a spiritual way for millions. Her favorite quote from Saint John of the Cross, “Love is repaid by love alone”, is the perfect summary of her life and teaching. It was undoubtedly her father’s love but also his trust in God and his respect for freedom that set Therese free and allowed the “Little Flower” to flourish. Louis’s virtue and that of his wife Zelie were recognized when they were both canonized as saints. They are both extraordinary models of nurturing parents and are an inspiration for us during this time of Mothers and Fathers Days.
Msgr. Michael D. McGraw