One Father in Heaven

Today's Gospel reading features the following line: "Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven." Matthew 23:9

In today's Living Faith, Amy Welborn offers the following reflection:

When my husband died two years ago, my greatest worry was the impact on his sons, aged four and seven at the time . . . How could I help them grow into wholeness and happiness with that gap looming so large? . . . what is true of course is that those of us with still-living parents must learn a similar lesson: Our earthly parents are limited and flawed. They can't fill the role that only our heavenly Father can.

As parents, we can sometimes feel like it is all up to us. This Gospel passage and Welborn's reflection remind us that God is our true Father. We have earthly parents and if we ourselves are parents, He has entrusted some of His children to our care temporarily, but He is the one who created us and loves us. We and our children ultimately belong to Him.