Father

By Benjamin O'Loughlin 

There's a tragic moment for every boy when he realizes that "My dad can beat up your dad!" isn't always true. As we grow up, all of us have to face the fact that dad isn't perfect.

I was lucky. First of all, I have a dad. He was there to hunt down the monsters in the dark recesses of the closet and under the bed. He was there for us as we grew up. We needed him - the monsters grew too. And he's still there now, even if we have to do a lot of the monster-hunting on our own.

But I have friends who weren't so lucky. Their dads didn't help them hunt down the monsters. And unfortunately, for some people I know, dad was the monster.

Whether we were blessed with a great father, or victims of tragedy, we all need a perfect father. One who always comes through. Who never wavers. Who never gets us wrong, and always understands...  

There's only one of those, and his name is God.

Jesus reveals God as a merciful Father who never abandons his children and whose loving concern for us embraces even the Cross. In Christ, God has made us his adopted sons and daughters. The Cross shows also us how God our Father is “almighty”. His omnipotence transcends our limited human concepts of power; his might is that of a patient love expressed in the ultimate victory of goodness over evil, life over death, and freedom over the bondage of sin.

-Pope Benedict XVI

Go here for the Pope's complete Wednesday audience.