I agree, Father's day is celebrated in many unhelpful ways. Particularly the 'celebration' atmosphere enforced on the day. But at least part of me says it's a good thing. We should want to celebrate the great examples of some fathers. However the inevitable mourning of the failures of other fathers also enables an opportunity to acknowledge their failings. I think celebrating the ideal is a good thing on the whole - it holds out the model which we should all long for.
I heard a preacher recently speaking of the difficulty of the language of God as our loving Father for those who had ratbag dads. Hopefully God as our loving Father will be a comfort to those for whom this day is especially difficult. It should also act as a reminder for all Dads that they fall short in some regards.
I like Father's Day, because it gives us the chance to face reality and address the horrible things as well as celebrate the good. It can even be a time for wounds to be bound up and salved by the grace of the gospel. The major problem is that it can be done sosososososo badly and cause hurt.
It will be yuck for some, but I don't think we do better by ignoring a tough issue than by bringing it up.
And I thought that Mothers' Day and Fathers' Day were bad enough as a child-free couple. I feel for those who are estranged from their children or have lost them altogether.
I agree, Father's day is celebrated in many unhelpful ways. Particularly the 'celebration' atmosphere enforced on the day. But at least part of me says it's a good thing. We should want to celebrate the great examples of some fathers. However the inevitable mourning of the failures of other fathers also enables an opportunity to acknowledge their failings. I think celebrating the ideal is a good thing on the whole - it holds out the model which we should all long for.
ReplyDeleteI heard a preacher recently speaking of the difficulty of the language of God as our loving Father for those who had ratbag dads. Hopefully God as our loving Father will be a comfort to those for whom this day is especially difficult. It should also act as a reminder for all Dads that they fall short in some regards.
I like Father's Day, because it gives us the chance to face reality and address the horrible things as well as celebrate the good. It can even be a time for wounds to be bound up and salved by the grace of the gospel. The major problem is that it can be done sosososososo badly and cause hurt.
ReplyDeleteIt will be yuck for some, but I don't think we do better by ignoring a tough issue than by bringing it up.
And I thought that Mothers' Day and Fathers' Day were bad enough as a child-free couple. I feel for those who are estranged from their children or have lost them altogether.
ReplyDelete