Strength for the Family
“True fathers help women to be true mothers, and true mothers help men to be true fathers. There’s a polar unity between the two and our children – the entire generation, not just those who reside within our homes – need both motherliness and fatherliness in order to develop into fully-rounded personalities.” ~Strengthening Your Family: A Catholic Approach to Holiness at Home, Chapter Fourteen: Countering Culture
All women are called to model true motherliness, and all men are called to model true fatherliness, regardless of whether they’ve ever begotten or given birth to a child. These qualities refer to the essence of the being, and not merely the function. Motherly women use their feminine gifts to nurture and uplift the rest of the world. Fatherly men use their gifts to guide and support the rest of the world. The roles are complementary and interdependent; both are vital to the formation of a well-rounded and balanced society.
Straws for the Crib
If you are a man, choose a fatherly quality to work on today. Perhaps you could be a more just and patient leader or offer encouragement to someone who is experiencing a failure of some kind. If you are a woman, choose a motherly quality to work on today. Perhaps you can reach out to someone with an emotional or spiritual need, or prepare a special dish for someone who’d really appreciate it.
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