June 21.  12th Sunday A.  Fathers’ Day.  SEE. When the youth were preparing for Father’s Day Deacon Samuel shared a  passage from Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia  with them.  Using the synodal method he had taught them, they reflected and listened and shared some of their joys and their pain about present, absent, abusive, loving and supportive fathers. In the end they decided, “Let’s give that lovely message to our dads to remind them, but also ask God to bless us kids, and all those dads who aren’t able to be there for us.”  Andrew said. “I want to say a big thank you to Pope Francis about that message,  but I also believe that whatever their situation is a father should be a really important person for his children.” Deacon concluded by thanking God for fatherhood as a life-giving possibility for any man to be treasured and not misused. After all, whatever their circumstances their children are always a part of their lives as much as he is a part of theirs.      

JUDGE. Reflect, share, Scripture: Everyone who acknowledges me before men I also acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.  Matt 10:26-33.

Pope Francis:  God sets the father in the family to be close to his wife, and to his children as they grow – when they play and when they work, when they are carefree and when they are distressed, when they are talkative and when they are silent, when they are daring and when they are afraid, whey they stray and when they get back on the right path, to be a father who is always present and I do not mean controlling.  Fathers who are too controlling, overshadow their children, they don’t let them develop.  Some fathers feel they are useless or unnecessary, but the fact is that a child needs to find a father waiting for them when they return home with their problems. They may try hard not to admit it, not to show it, but they it need it. It is not good for children to lack a father and to grow up before they are ready. AL 177. 

Pope Leo:    Measures are needed to ensure a healthy way of living, for without a proper balance between work, leisure and rest, families are weakened and young people struggle to develop a sense of responsibility. MH 169

ACT AND PRAY.  Express thanksgiving for the gift of fatherhood and pray for a blessing on all men who are fathers that they may value their gift and their children,

FATHERHOOD – a reflection on 1 Cor 13. 
If I speak in the slang of my teens and understand the language of their peers, but do not give them love, I am just like so much noise falling on their ears. 
If I could tell my children exactly what their future holds;  if I knew everything ahead of them, and  if I believe that someday each one of them will be successful,  but do not give them love, I am nothing.  
If I give them everything they want;  if I sacrifice all I have - even my life - for them,  but do not love them, they gain nothing.
A father's love is patient even with straying offspring. It is kind to the daughter who is hurting, even if it is her own fault. It never says: "I told you so!"   Fatherly love is not rude, even to the rebellious son, nor easily angered by his ways.  
A father's love does not delight in dire predictions which come to pass,  but rejoices at the slightest sign of reform in the teen who drifts away.  
Fatherly love protects the toddler; firmly guides the adolescent;  hopes for those who falter year after year.  
A father's love never gives up. 
Our plans for the future may fail.    Our advice may be refused.  Our knowledge may fall short, for we do not know everything and we cannot control our children.  But we can always love. 
When I was a young father, I was a visionary.   I had all the formulas for successful child-rearing.  But when my children grew up, I had to put those immature ideas behind me.  
Now I have no answers; I know so little and my understanding is limited.   Only in heaven will I know the rest. There my understanding will be complete. My joy will be total and my tears will be wiped away. 
Three things I have now:     
FAITH that my children will remember their training;  
HOPE that this will influence their lives for the better, 
and  LOVE that continues no matter what. And the greatest of these three is LOVE!  
   (With acknowledgements to St Paul!) 

St Paul 1 Corinthians chapter 13.
“If I have all the eloquence of men or angels but speak without love I am simply a gong booming or cymbal clashing.  
If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are and knowing everything and if I have faith in all its fullness to move mountains but without love then I am nothing at all.  
If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece and if I even let them take my body to burn, but am without love, it will do me no good whatever.
Love is always patient and kind, it is never jealous; 
love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence and is not resentful.
Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth;  it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.
Love does not come to an end.”  
When all else fails “three things remain, faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love.”    
(with acknowledgements to St Paul!)