June 6, 2021 - Pastor Message
04/16/2024THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH CHRISTIAN FATHERHOOD “Jesus next went to his native place and spent his time teaching in their synagogue. They were filled with amazement and said to one another, ‘Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers? Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?’” (Matthew 13:5455).
Returning to our journey through the Year of St. Joseph, in honor of Father’s Day our theme for the month of June will be Christian fatherhood. While it should in no way be controversial to say this, and, until very recently, it was not, fathers play a vital role in the lives of their children far beyond simply contributing half their genetic material. Sadly, in a misguided effort to build up the dignity of women, LGBTQ persons, and those who do not have a father present in their lives, there is a strong push in western society today to tear down the importance of fathers. By reflecting on the fatherhood of St. Joseph this month, it is our hope that we can recover and even deepen our understanding and appreciation of fatherhood in the Christian family.
The first and most basic characteristic to note about Joseph’s fatherhood is that he is a man and, as such, taught Jesus what it means to be a man. Again, that should not be controversial. In the beautiful complementarity between men and women written into the very fabric of creation by God (Genesis 1:27; 2:1825), manhood is essential to fatherhood just as womanhood is essential to motherhood. But what does it mean to be a man, and how does Joseph embody that? The following reflection on these questions is drawn from the essay: “The Mission of Fatherhood,” by William E. May, which can be found at http://www.christendomawake.org/pages/may/ father.htm.
Manhood can only be understood in relation to womanhood, just as womanhood can only be understood in relation to manhood. The complementary differences between men and women are not accidental or mere products of particular cultures but form an essential part of God’s plan for creation. This is true not only of the obvious physical differences but for the whole person, all the way down to our souls. We are not souls trapped in fleshy containers we call a body. We are whole beings in whom the body and soul form a unity we refer to as the human person. Our bodies are the physical manifestation of the whole person and reveal the inner, spiritual reality of the soul. Thus the differences between male and female bodies reveal the inner differences between male and female persons, which are also manifested in the uniquely masculine and feminine ways that men and women relate to each other and to the world around them.
If the body reveals the inner reality of male and female persons, the fullest, clearest, and deepest expression of this is sexual communion between a husband and wife open to the creation of a new human person, when the two literally become “one flesh” and fully reveal together the image of our loving creator God. In the act of sexual communion between a husband and wife open to life, we see the essence of manhood and womanhood that shapes and directs everything men and women do. Remember, the human body and soul are not separate but form one whole person. When someone does something, it is not just the body that acts but the whole person. So it is with sexual communion between spouses. They aren’t just engaged in bodily communion, but the communion of the whole person. So what does sexual communion reveal about the unique character of male and female persons, or manhood and womanhood?
I do not intend to go into graphic detail. I assume if you are reading this that you are an adult with at least a basic understanding of human reproduction. In essence, the man gives his sperm to the woman, who receives it into herself. The woman gives the man an ovum. The man receives the ovum, but not into himself. It remains inside the woman. Thus, while sexual communion is an act of giving and receiving by both people, the nature of the giving and receiving is distinct. May refers to the male form of sexual communion, and thus the male character, as “giving in a receiving way”, while the female form of sexual communion and character is “receiving in a giving way” (5). Both give and receive, but the different ways they do this reveal the unique essences of manhood and womanhood, which I will explore further in next week’s column as we continue to reflect on the fatherhood of St. Joseph.
Fr. Marc Stockton
-
Current News