Kitchen Catechism: Featured Articles
by Lois Donahue
Here it is, 1999...
The approaching-millennium year during which our Church asks us to direct our thoughts and prayers to our Heavenly Father - and - here it is, June, the month of Fathers’ Day during which our world asks us to direct our sentiments and dollars toward our earthly fathers.
This is indeed a time to express our love and appreciation to all fathers - those unselfish men willing to accept a demanding role which, for the majority of them, had yet to be scripted - men who love and care and pray and wonder and laugh and cry and worry and stumble and triumph and work and protect and guide --
A time, too, when . . .
. . we might even give some thought to familiar, if only fictitious, fathers like one Jesus told us about -- the father of the Prodigal Son. As a memory refresher here’s a capsulated version of that parable --- father has two sons - youngest asks for his share of the inheritance -- father gives it to him -- son blows it all on “loose living” - hits bottom - is sorry for what he did - goes home - asks forgiveness - father is elated - not only forgives him but gives him gifts and throws a “fatted calf” party.
While there is little doubt that the primary reason Jesus told this story was to convey and, if need be, reinforce the fact that God our loving Father is all merciful - always willing to forgive. Secondarily it would seem He also spoke with the hope that all fathers, like the one in His parable, would show mercy and forgiveness to their children.
Now, if those two things covered Jesus’ full intent, He would certainly have accomplished His purpose with no more than the story of the father and the younger son. No need for anyone else. Then why did He tell us about the older brother who ‘comes in from the fields, hears all the celebrating and when told the why of the party, was angry and refused to go in’? Can the answer to that question be found in the behavior of the older brother? Was Jesus demonstrating to us how wrong and how damaging it is to be jealous? Probably so.
However, I think we might find another reason if we view the remainder of the story from the older son’s perspective. Let’s listen to his own words when, to his father’s plea for understanding, he offered this reminder - “For years now I have slaved for you. I never disobeyed one of your orders, yet you never gave me so much as a kid goat to celebrate with my friends.” To me these seem to be more than just words prompted by sibling envy. They seem to be coming from someone deeply hurt. In fact, if this were a real - life happening, I truly believe an angry young man would have turned and walked away from his father with tears in his heart if not in his eyes. I believe, too, that as he walked he may have been wondering, as did an author who, so many, many years later, wrote -- “if you never tell me you love me? - if you never show me you love me? - why would you expect me to know that you love me?”
Which causes me to wonder -- did Jesus extend the parable to include interaction between the older brother and his father, because, with the voice of God, He wanted to say something to all fathers? Maybe something like this -- “Having blessed you with children, let Me remind you that each one of your children is entitled to be loved and not one of your children deserves to be taken for granted. (A message He no doubt also wanted to send to mothers.) and that brings something else to mind --
Just a few weeks ago, during Mothers’ Day month, I remember reading this touching and certainly well deserved tribute --
“God couldn’t be everywhere, so He created mothers.”
Thinking back to those words, it seems only fair that now, in the year of God the Father, in this Fathers’ Day month and especially in an era when “dead-beat dads” and “absentee fathers” have almost become media stereotypes, we should offer to all the wonderful fathers who are so often underrated and so seldom thanked something equally appropriate. - perhaps -
“God knew His world would need caring-for, so first He created a father.”
Here is the poem - it is written from a mother's perspective but could be for dads too.
TO MY CHILDREN
by: Lois DonahueHow much it hurts to hear you say
To me in your accusing way, “You love her more than me!” and I
Say, ”NO.” but you’ve run off to cry.
Forgetting bedtime tales we shared
The kisses - hugs - that showed I cared
Rememb’ring only when I’d scold
Or make you eat your carrots cold.
Someday when you have children too
You’ll know I treasured each of you.
For mine, like all true mothers’ hearts
Can only love in equal parts.