Fathers

Sunday of the Annunciation to Zechariah. Of John the Baptist the Archangel said, “He will go before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children…” (Luke 1.17).

Teaching at a college these past few months has once again forced me to confront the real, bleeding wounds left by absent fathers, whether of the psychological or physical kind. As someone who’s just crossed into the world of thirtysomethings, I have no idea what to do with the injured. The only thing that is becoming clearer to me is that there can be no true substitute for fathers. Not mentoring programs, not medication, not positive thinking…not even the kind of Christian piety that says that as long as God is your Father everything will resolve itself. The last might yet be the most dangerous lie the Church has told young people, especially young men. I don’t know.

A few days ago I thought of the words spoken by God at Jesus’ baptism: This is my son, my beloved, in whom I am well-pleased. Then I wondered how many of us men spend all our lives trying to get a father to say those words to us. No answers, but only brooding.

Forerunner, will you help us?