Blessing All the Fathers

We need our Fathers. And we bless them.

My Father's Store by Harry Lieberman

Men of tender courage, sturdy hope, and tenacious presence:

When you see your world – and move into it – you model for us our God who refused to be aloof but instead insisted on bold, visible love. With your daily labor, you carve life from the soil of this world. Like God, you bring order from the wild chaos. You name the truth, and your love carries power, touching the deep places of our soul. You are a poet, a craftsman, a priest. You are necessary.

For those offering fatherly love and protection, even to children who are not your own,

For the ways you take on the weight of this world – and shield others from it,

For the many times you surrender your desires for the good of family,

For your faithfulness to your marriage, in a world increasingly unfamiliar with fidelity, loyalty, and sacrifice,

For the times when you want to fling your weary bones on a couch but instead you wrestle or sit down for a tea party or toss a football,

For the moments you’ve f…