“You Are Not Alone”: A Father’s Love and God’s Promise

Reflection on the 12th Sunday in the Ordinary Time by Fr Jason Laguerta

In psychology, it is often said that all of us have “father issues,” no exception.  Whether good or bad, that fundamental relationship with our fathers can either build us up or break us.

When I was growing up, my father was working abroad for about two decades.  He was not around during special occasions and important events in the family.  For some time, I felt distant from him and even blamed him for not being there during the struggles we had to go through.  Later on, my siblings and I understood that he had to be away to provide for us, but while we were growing up, it was our mother who was always visible and present. So when our father was reintegrated into the family, we all had some difficulty adjusting.

Still, I carry a simple but meaningful memory of him.  As a child growing up in the province, I remember waking up very early, around 4 a.m., before sunrise, especially during harvest season, to go to the rice fields with my father.  We would ride his heavy steel bike, with me seated behind him.  As we traveled, he would always remind me, “Hold on tight, don’t let go” – kapot (Bicolano).  That simple instruction reflected something deeper: a father as someone you can rely on, a true pillar of strength.

This is what the Gospel (Matthew 10:26–33) reminds us of.  Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.  Look at the sparrows, sold for a small coin, yet not one falls to the ground without the Father’s knowledge.  Look at the lilies of the field, cared for without effort.  If God values them, how much more us, His children?  Even the hairs of our head are counted.  Not a single strand is forgotten.”  This means we are valued, known, and loved.  Jesus introduced God to us, not as a distant being, but as Father – someone who can be relied on, who provides, protects, and loves unconditionally.  

In this light, we see the three essential roles of a father: to protect, to provide, and to be present.  More than material support, a father’s first responsibility is to give a sense of safety and security to say, “I am here.  You are not alone.”

Yet, the reality is that human fathers sometimes fail.  Some do not provide, some do not protect, and some are absent.  Because of this, many of us carry wounds and we begin to even question our worth: If my father could not love me, who will?  These wounds shape how we see ourselves and how we relate to others.

But the message of the Gospel gives hope.  Even if our human fathers fail us, we have a Father in heaven who will never abandon us.  Like Jeremiah in the First Reading, who said, “The Lord is with me like a mighty champion,” we are reminded that God is our protector and defender.

There is a child within each of us longing for a father – a presence that brings calm, not fear.  And that is who God is for us.  He loves us not because we deserve it, but because we are His children; that is our identity and our security.   And the more we hold on to Him, the less power the world has to frighten us because God will never abandon us and so, we will never be alone.

We belong to a loving Father who will never let us go.  He will care for us.  He will be our Mighty Champion; defender and protector.  He will provide for us, and will be constantly present in our lives. 

This celebration of the Father's Day is also actually a celebration of the Father – the Lord of God in our life.  May we see in the Lord a Father who loves us all unconditionally, a Father who will never, even for a moment, forsake us or forget us.  He will keep us always in His heart and in His love.

In psychology, it is often said that all of us have “father issues,” no exception.  Whether good or bad, that fundamental relationship with our fathers can either build us up or break us.

When I was growing up, my father was working abroad for about two decades.  He was not around during special occasions and important events in the family.  For some time, I felt distant from him and even blamed him for not being there during the struggles we had to go through.  Later on, my siblings and I understood that he had to be away to provide for us, but while we were growing up, it was our mother who was always visible and present. So when our father was reintegrated into the family, we all had some difficulty adjusting.

Still, I carry a simple but meaningful memory of him.  As a child growing up in the province, I remember waking up very early, around 4 a.m., before sunrise, especially during harvest season, to go to the rice fields with my father.  We would ride his heavy steel bike, with me seated behind him.  As we traveled, he would always remind me, “Hold on tight, don’t let go” – kapot (Bicolano).  That simple instruction reflected something deeper: a father as someone you can rely on, a true pillar of strength.

This is what the Gospel (Matthew 10:26–33) reminds us of.  Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.  Look at the sparrows, sold for a small coin, yet not one falls to the ground without the Father’s knowledge.  Look at the lilies of the field, cared for without effort.  If God values them, how much more us, His children?  Even the hairs of our head are counted.  Not a single strand is forgotten.”  This means we are valued, known, and loved.  Jesus introduced God to us, not as a distant being, but as Father – someone who can be relied on, who provides, protects, and loves unconditionally.  

In this light, we see the three essential roles of a father: to protect, to provide, and to be present.  More than material support, a father’s first responsibility is to give a sense of safety and security to say, “I am here.  You are not alone.”

Yet, the reality is that human fathers sometimes fail.  Some do not provide, some do not protect, and some are absent.  Because of this, many of us carry wounds and we begin to even question our worth: If my father could not love me, who will?  These wounds shape how we see ourselves and how we relate to others.

But the message of the Gospel gives hope.  Even if our human fathers fail us, we have a Father in heaven who will never abandon us.  Like Jeremiah in the First Reading, who said, “The Lord is with me like a mighty champion,” we are reminded that God is our protector and defender.

There is a child within each of us longing for a father – a presence that brings calm, not fear.  And that is who God is for us.  He loves us not because we deserve it, but because we are His children; that is our identity and our security.   And the more we hold on to Him, the less power the world has to frighten us because God will never abandon us and so, we will never be alone.

We belong to a loving Father who will never let us go.  He will care for us.  He will be our Mighty Champion; defender and protector.  He will provide for us, and will be constantly present in our lives. 

This celebration of the Father's Day is also actually a celebration of the Father – the Lord of God in our life.  May we see in the Lord a Father who loves us all unconditionally, a Father who will never, even for a moment, forsake us or forget us.  He will keep us always in His heart and in His love.