Living the Life God Gave Us to the Fullest
“I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Each year, Father’s Day is celebrated in the United States on the third Sunday of June. This is a day to remember the influence fathers have in our lives from childhood, through adolescence and into adulthood. For girls, a father is an essential person who sees her potential and celebrates the beautiful woman he believes she will become. He encourages the many gifts she has been given and contributes to her development and maturity by speaking words of support and praise, helping her see these gifts in herself. Yes, a father is a foundational influence in a young woman’s life, and without his validation, her gifts and success may go unfulfilled.
How does a woman thank such a person? A card is nice, but is it enough? A gift, no matter how expensive or unique, will eventually break and pass away. A special dinner is consumed, and when the dishes are done and the kitchen is cleaned up, the next event often takes precedence over presence. Is it possible the best way to thank a father for his belief in her is to simply live into the potential he saw, confirming his beliefs in her yet-concealed skills and talents? You see, the real work of a father is to stand witness to the potential of his children and help them see their capabilities in themselves.
Even when they make mistakes, which will undoubtedly happen, a father must simply be present and offer encouragement and insight. His job is not to fix or resolve a troubling situation, but rather to stand with his child or adolescent, believing in their ability to work out the difficulty on their own, asking for help when needed.
Our Gift From Our Heavenly Father
This is not unlike our heavenly Father. He sent us here to the earth with a multitude of gifts and potentialities, waiting for us to discover the fruit of them on our own, or to ask for His assistance in their discovery and fulfillment. He did not send us to the earth to attain perfection but, rather, to do our best to live a holy, virtuous life. When we sin, which again, will undoubtedly happen, we are restored to wholeness through the sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus provides our way back to the Father through His obedience and self-sacrifice on the Cross.
Jesus came to the earth as a baby to show us the way to live the most fruitful human life possible, trusting in the Father’s generosity and goodness at every turn. He always pointed to the Father and never sought glory for Himself. He provided the most virtuous example of living a saintly human life possible: He provided the virtue map for us to follow. Just like our earthly fathers who believe, or believed, in us, Jesus shows us how our heavenly Father believes in us, as well.
Living With Virtue
This Father’s Day, think of concrete ways you can live your life to the fullest. Think of the cardinal and theological virtues and craft your life around them. Live prudently and wisely. Embrace temperance, or self-control, and pause before saying anything that would hurt another person, whether through spoken or written words. Choose fortitude and courage and do the thing that scares you. Step out in faith and trust that God will provide the path He is inspiring you to walk. And place yourself in the best position to choose the right and good decision in the situations you face. These cardinal virtues form the habits that become our everyday behaviors.
In addition, live your life from a faith perspective today. Make hope your doorpost and mantle. And let love walk before you each step you take. Become a person of peace in all your encounters with others. The cardinal and theological virtues provide the core of our personality, which always call us back to living our life from our Christian faith perspective. This will make your earthly father and heavenly Father proud and confident in their belief in you. It will make them both smile.
Dr. Kate Walsh-Soucheray taught high school religion in St. Paul, Minnesota and then became a licensed marriage and family therapist. She has master’s degrees in theology and marriage and family therapy, and a doctorate in educational leadership. Dr. Kate and her husband John have been married for 42 years and they have three, adult married children and six, soon to be seven, grandchildren. Dr. Kate is retired and writes and speaks for Catholics.