The men’s prayer group played a video this morning of the 1974 Paul Anka hit, Oh My Papa, and I cried as I recalled and softly sang the words: “Oh my papa, to me he was so wonderful …”. When I got back home, I found that on-line video and saved it on my computer for future playings.
I’ve read many stories (and heard personally) about the impact of bad or absent dads on their children. Most of the most prominent atheists of our time had terrible fathers. I know that aborting or the taking of a life, which is a gift from God, is very wrong in all cases, but I don’t pretend to understand how that evil compares to the accepting of God;s gift of life, a child, and then then abusing it. Created in His Image, we were meant to live and protect that image. Jesus showed us how. And He showed us what love is. An image is made so that you can perceive the reality of the original by looking at it. When people look at us, are they inclined in some way to see God? Our earthly fathers are so important in helping us grow in that image, of our heavenly Father.
So, either play the Oh My Papa song and cry in happiness, or don’t listen to songs like that, but pray for your father. For some reason, God chose you as a gift to him, him being good or bad (as we now understand it).
But no father is perfect. The night I heard that old hit song, I had dreams of the blessings my father gave to me. And then I recalled the time or two where he failed. No person is perfect while on earth. So, I’m having a mass said for him on the 30th of this month. It’s a good thing to pray for both our parents. God chose our parents for a reason, amd I pray I can live up to His reasons.
And, I recalled that I AM special to God. After WWII my dad came home with post-traumatic stress syndrome, but they didn’t call it that then. And he was so bad that my mom tossed him out. And after living as a hobo for 6 months he came back, better I guess. And within a year later I was born. I’m sure no relatives back then faulted my mom for tossing my dad out. But if that “bad man” wasn’t allowed back, I wouldn’t be writing this now.
All life is a gift from God, and for a reason.
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And after I finished reflecting and writing the above words, while in the adoration chapel, God gave me a nudge, or perhaps His thoughts on the matter. I began reading the book My Other Self again recently. In the words of the book, Jesus speaks to you. I opened to my bookmark, which was on page 21. Jesus spoke straight to the heart of the matter.
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