On Fathers’ Day, we remember and honour dads, grandfathers, uncles, and all the men, living and deceased, who tirelessly and selflessly gave of themselves for their families with unconditional love.

In this Year of St Joseph, it is a good time to also recall the exemplary role-model and patron saint of fathers – Saint Joseph – foster father of Jesus, husband of Our Lady and patron of the Universal Church.

Saint Joseph experienced the same difficulties in life we all do, yet he lived an exemplary life and established an ideal that is well-worth emulating for all fathers who have come after him. Saint Joseph was a man of compassion and caring. He was a man possessed of unwavering faith in God. He was a man who loved and protected his family. As Saint Matthew describes him in his Gospel, Joseph was a “righteous man” (Matthew 1:19).

For Joseph, doing God’s will was paramount; God always came first. Each time God told him to do something, Joseph’s response was immediate and he would carry out the task at hand the way God wanted it done – after the angel’s message came to him in a dream, he took Mary into his home as his wife; upon receiving the angel’s warning, Joseph immediately got up and took his little family and fled to Egypt in the middle of the night to escape Herod’s jealous wrath, then, later, returned them home to Nazareth. Joseph kept the Sabbath and went to the Temple in Jerusalem for the Passover. He faithfully and tenderly loved, protected and provided for the Child Jesus and the Virgin Mary. Saint Joseph certainly set the bar high for modern-day fathers, yet, by his very example, Joseph solidly demonstrates that it is quite possible to follow his example to be a righteous man by listening to, trusting in and obeying God’s word.     (Taken from carmelitesisters.ocd.com)

Wishing all our families a very happy Father’s Day on Sunday. I hope you have a relaxing day.