“Our Father”

The following is the first of twelve monthly reflections about the phrases of the Lord’s Prayer and what they tell us about family life.

            What are the moments in life that bring us true joy?  I am referencing the type of joy that is unhindered by the suffering in our lives, something that we feel deep down inside of ourselves.  It gives us the truest sense of God’s grace in the here and now.  These moments of genuine joy might be seminal events such as graduations, weddings, or other sacramental occasions.  On the other hand, they might be seemingly insignificant moments, not likely to make the news, and yet, they are so personally meaningful that we swell with emotion and marvel in gratitude at God’s generosity.  For me, one such small moment is when I arrive home from work every day.  I open the door and am met with the faces of little boys who appear to be looking at their own personal superhero.  It never gets old to have them smiling from ear to ear, running to meet me, and joyfully exclaiming, “Daddy!”

            I feel badly that my wife does not get to experience this same jubilation as often since she is currently with the children most of the day.  When she is gone, however, the kids realize how chaotic things can get when Mommy is away and are really happy to see her when she returns!  As I reflected upon these little moments of joy, I thought about my prayer life, especially the Lord’s Prayer.  In it Jesus instructs us to call God our Father, and this kind of familiarity is a remarkable concept in how we communicate with God.  It dispels the notion of God being a far-off deity who is powerful yet somewhat impersonal.  Instead, we have a God who desires to be intimately close to us, as close as a parent would be to a child.  It is quite radical to think of an omnipotent God who is ready to embrace us as I embrace my young children running to me at the door after work.

            What does this mean for us as we journey through these days of Advent?  We find ourselves waiting for the Lord at Christmas and the end of time.  This delay can be challenging because it can cause us to doubt God’s desire to be close to us.  Still, we wait in hope as a young child looking out the picture window in expectation of a parent’s return.  Advent builds in anticipation from the liturgical readings to the lighting of additional candles that Lord is indeed coming.

God, too, waits for us at times during this season.  We can get caught up in the busyness of everything we attempt to accomplish, and the danger for us is that Advent is not a very prayerful time at all.  More generally, when we sometimes find ourselves mired in our own sinfulness, God waits longingly for our return and even seeks us out.  It is ultimately up to us, though, to accept reconciliation.  I imagine how hurt today I would be if, when I arrived home from work, no one was there to greet me or was excited to see me.  I suppose I should brace myself for when my children are teenagers!

When our relationship with the Father deteriorates to such a point, intervention is essential.  God certainly does not abandon us and waits with open arms to welcome us back.  We have a chance in these days to take part in the Sacrament of Penance, and this is a wonderful way to mend what is wounded in our relationship with God and others.  Though it can be difficult to make that step to come and admit our guilt, it is to our great benefit to take refuge in the Father’s merciful arms.  Once we do so, God holds us tightly in love once again.

May we have the courage this season to return to the Lord, to call God “Father” once more.  Jesus leads us in addressing God in such a manner.  If we find ourselves hesitating, it may help us to know the longing desire that God has for our return.  It will truly be a moment of joy for our Father when we come running and exclaim once again, “Daddy!