The origin of Father’s Day celebration dates back on May of 1909 when Sonora Smart Dodd, while sitting in a church and listening to a Mother’s Day sermon realized that his father---William Smart---was equally deserving and therefore also need to be honored. In expressions of her deep and abiding gratitude for all the love and great effort and exemplary paternity of his widowed father in raising and rearing six young and growing children, including a newly born, all by himself, Sonora thought there should be a special day of tribute and honor not only for his father but also to other fathers like him. It was initially suggested that the Father’s Day celebration will be held in time for the death anniversary of Sonora’s father which is June 5th. However, due to planning problems the first Father’s Day celebration in Spokane, Washington State was moved on Sunday, June 19, 1910.
From that early beginning the idea of paying homage to the fathers in the United States became a yearly celebrated event. But it was only in 1966 that the state recognized it through an executive order issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson, designating the third Sunday in June as the official day to celebrate Father’s Day. And finally in 1972, President Nixon officially declared Father’s Day as a national holiday in the United States of America.
In the Philippines the Father’s Day celebration came only as an influence from American holidays and celebrations in the 1980s. Together with the United States and other countries like Canada, United Kingdom, Argentina, France, India, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, and Venezuela, we celebrate Father’s Day on the 3rd Sunday of June. We do not have an officially designated Father’s Day celebration in the Philippines.
While the celebration of Father’s Day was started only on June 19, 1910 and purposely initiated to honor fathers, God’s commandment to honor fathers has long been binding since time immemorial upon Israel and the rest of mankind and has always been a component in our daily gospel living. The fifth commandment was thus written: “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Exodus 20:12).
The Prophet Moses while reminding the Israelites of the covenants they made with God in Horeb, also reviews the commandment with them: “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Deuteronomy 5:16).
The Apostle Paul, recognizing the inherent relationship and the link that it provides to our divine connection with Heavenly Father, which children and fathers need to strengthen and enlarge, wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians, thus: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
“Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
“That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)
This commandment to honor fathers is related to the patriarchal order and government in the human household where the father presides and serves as provider, designed after the order of the heavenly family. This father-children relationship embraces affectionate expressions of heavenly love and concern for each other’s welfare with common vision for an eternal destiny. This bond embodies collective experiences of joys and pains; delights and heartaches while in mortal probation which make the link even more vitally important as the infinite journey moves farther into the realms of eternity.
The father-children relationship is not just about bonding in mortality, but a continuing preparation and groundwork in establishing an eternal family unit which is the ultimate end of all that we do in this life in accordance with God’s great plan of happiness.
To those who are young, the commandment means honoring, submitting, appreciating, respecting, recognizing and emulating their good works. To the middle-aged and matured it is remembering and matching, and even outdoing the fathers’ exemplary leadership in the home, and caring for the aged father or mother in their weary years; and performing necessary ordinances of salvation for those who had already passed beyond the veil.
The sacredness and spiritual import of this commandment is obviously evident such that from the early days of Israel cursing a father or mother was considered a capital crime worthy of the punishment of death. In the Book of Leviticus we read: “For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death…; his blood shall be upon him. (Leviticus 20:9). And in Deuteronomy it is recorded: “Whoso curseth father or mother let him die the death…And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die…” (See Deuteronomy 21:18-21).
The Lord himself during his ministry reminded and warned the people, especially the scribes and Pharisees, of the importance of the fifth commandment in the law, thus: “For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” (Matthew 15:4, see also Mark 7:10).
While disobeying this commandment to honor the father or mother is no longer considered a capital offense in any country in the world, yet it has never been repealed. It has always been a part of the existing commandments as declared by the Lord Himself (see Matthew 19:19 and Luke 18:20).
I wonder if many of the children of today ever understood well the fundamental significance of the Father’s Day celebration in relation to the commandment to honor their fathers. By the kind of unfettered views and opinions among youths and adults, and the ever-present profanity, hateful remarks and criticism common in our daily conversations, I am ever wary if the real bonds of divine love and caring for each other which the commandment calls still exist in many families.
Many children of today failed to read between the lines the depths of their father’s personal sacrifices and struggles. On many occasions fathers have to sacrifice their personal dreams in favor of their children’s future. They erased from their memory the things they wanted to acquire in order to give all their energy and means even beyond the limits, for the needs of their children. Out of their best expressions of unconditional love, they ask for none save the needed respect and love of which they are deserving for giving of themselves up for their children’s welfare. Yet cursing the parents by children now seems to be a sad and heartbreaking pattern. Perhaps if indeed cursing parents remained to be a capital crime, many children should have been sentenced to death. But even in such a sad face to face with cursing, righteous fathers continue to love and forgive of their children’s nasty behavior, leaving the rest to Divine Providence.
However, notwithstanding the open public display of widespread unbelief and antagonism in the world these days, more children still cling to the commandment to honor their fathers. I am privileged of knowing a man---a dear friend and classmate---who honored and respected his father in accord with the fifth commandment which to him is most familiar as a religious man. He was already a Certified Public Accountant and a successful bank executive, but his father continued to remind of his dream for him to become a lawyer. Perhaps it was his father’s personal dream which he relinquished to give place for his son to find success that motivates such insistence. Indeed, he has the needed brilliance and the means, but time. Yet he honored his father’s request as being an obedient son. He tried to break barriers of time until in his midlife he finally found himself marching with fellow graduates and stood before a grand audience to be conferred a degree in law at which time, and at the age of 50, he also became a member of the bar. Immediately thereafter, he resigned his banking career and engaged himself in private law practice and get involved in charitable and religious activities. Indeed, he’s been an obedient son, a righteous father and husband, and a noble grandfather; a personal peculiarity worthy of emulation. For me, it’s been an honor to be called a friend of Atty. Epifanio Moran Almeda.
I will never forget that first day when Father’s Day was celebrated in the year 1910, not only because I also have a father whom I most dearly love and sincerely honored and respected throughout his lifetime; whose awe-inspiring love and sacrifices, which are highly deserving of God’s commandment to honor, had been a motivating legacy for 13 of us siblings; but also because the day June 19th is the birthday of my only son, who now is also a righteous father and husband.
It is of most worth to know that the Father’s Day celebration as originated by Sonora Smart Dodd to honor his father and other fathers, was actually and plainly in relation to the divine fifth commandment, “Honor thy father…” Such understanding provides a better and more satisfying menu to pack and complement the table for a father’s sumptuous feast.
From that early beginning the idea of paying homage to the fathers in the United States became a yearly celebrated event. But it was only in 1966 that the state recognized it through an executive order issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson, designating the third Sunday in June as the official day to celebrate Father’s Day. And finally in 1972, President Nixon officially declared Father’s Day as a national holiday in the United States of America.
In the Philippines the Father’s Day celebration came only as an influence from American holidays and celebrations in the 1980s. Together with the United States and other countries like Canada, United Kingdom, Argentina, France, India, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, and Venezuela, we celebrate Father’s Day on the 3rd Sunday of June. We do not have an officially designated Father’s Day celebration in the Philippines.
While the celebration of Father’s Day was started only on June 19, 1910 and purposely initiated to honor fathers, God’s commandment to honor fathers has long been binding since time immemorial upon Israel and the rest of mankind and has always been a component in our daily gospel living. The fifth commandment was thus written: “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Exodus 20:12).
The Prophet Moses while reminding the Israelites of the covenants they made with God in Horeb, also reviews the commandment with them: “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Deuteronomy 5:16).
The Apostle Paul, recognizing the inherent relationship and the link that it provides to our divine connection with Heavenly Father, which children and fathers need to strengthen and enlarge, wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians, thus: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
“Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
“That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)
This commandment to honor fathers is related to the patriarchal order and government in the human household where the father presides and serves as provider, designed after the order of the heavenly family. This father-children relationship embraces affectionate expressions of heavenly love and concern for each other’s welfare with common vision for an eternal destiny. This bond embodies collective experiences of joys and pains; delights and heartaches while in mortal probation which make the link even more vitally important as the infinite journey moves farther into the realms of eternity.
The father-children relationship is not just about bonding in mortality, but a continuing preparation and groundwork in establishing an eternal family unit which is the ultimate end of all that we do in this life in accordance with God’s great plan of happiness.
To those who are young, the commandment means honoring, submitting, appreciating, respecting, recognizing and emulating their good works. To the middle-aged and matured it is remembering and matching, and even outdoing the fathers’ exemplary leadership in the home, and caring for the aged father or mother in their weary years; and performing necessary ordinances of salvation for those who had already passed beyond the veil.
The sacredness and spiritual import of this commandment is obviously evident such that from the early days of Israel cursing a father or mother was considered a capital crime worthy of the punishment of death. In the Book of Leviticus we read: “For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death…; his blood shall be upon him. (Leviticus 20:9). And in Deuteronomy it is recorded: “Whoso curseth father or mother let him die the death…And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die…” (See Deuteronomy 21:18-21).
The Lord himself during his ministry reminded and warned the people, especially the scribes and Pharisees, of the importance of the fifth commandment in the law, thus: “For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” (Matthew 15:4, see also Mark 7:10).
While disobeying this commandment to honor the father or mother is no longer considered a capital offense in any country in the world, yet it has never been repealed. It has always been a part of the existing commandments as declared by the Lord Himself (see Matthew 19:19 and Luke 18:20).
I wonder if many of the children of today ever understood well the fundamental significance of the Father’s Day celebration in relation to the commandment to honor their fathers. By the kind of unfettered views and opinions among youths and adults, and the ever-present profanity, hateful remarks and criticism common in our daily conversations, I am ever wary if the real bonds of divine love and caring for each other which the commandment calls still exist in many families.
Many children of today failed to read between the lines the depths of their father’s personal sacrifices and struggles. On many occasions fathers have to sacrifice their personal dreams in favor of their children’s future. They erased from their memory the things they wanted to acquire in order to give all their energy and means even beyond the limits, for the needs of their children. Out of their best expressions of unconditional love, they ask for none save the needed respect and love of which they are deserving for giving of themselves up for their children’s welfare. Yet cursing the parents by children now seems to be a sad and heartbreaking pattern. Perhaps if indeed cursing parents remained to be a capital crime, many children should have been sentenced to death. But even in such a sad face to face with cursing, righteous fathers continue to love and forgive of their children’s nasty behavior, leaving the rest to Divine Providence.
However, notwithstanding the open public display of widespread unbelief and antagonism in the world these days, more children still cling to the commandment to honor their fathers. I am privileged of knowing a man---a dear friend and classmate---who honored and respected his father in accord with the fifth commandment which to him is most familiar as a religious man. He was already a Certified Public Accountant and a successful bank executive, but his father continued to remind of his dream for him to become a lawyer. Perhaps it was his father’s personal dream which he relinquished to give place for his son to find success that motivates such insistence. Indeed, he has the needed brilliance and the means, but time. Yet he honored his father’s request as being an obedient son. He tried to break barriers of time until in his midlife he finally found himself marching with fellow graduates and stood before a grand audience to be conferred a degree in law at which time, and at the age of 50, he also became a member of the bar. Immediately thereafter, he resigned his banking career and engaged himself in private law practice and get involved in charitable and religious activities. Indeed, he’s been an obedient son, a righteous father and husband, and a noble grandfather; a personal peculiarity worthy of emulation. For me, it’s been an honor to be called a friend of Atty. Epifanio Moran Almeda.
I will never forget that first day when Father’s Day was celebrated in the year 1910, not only because I also have a father whom I most dearly love and sincerely honored and respected throughout his lifetime; whose awe-inspiring love and sacrifices, which are highly deserving of God’s commandment to honor, had been a motivating legacy for 13 of us siblings; but also because the day June 19th is the birthday of my only son, who now is also a righteous father and husband.
It is of most worth to know that the Father’s Day celebration as originated by Sonora Smart Dodd to honor his father and other fathers, was actually and plainly in relation to the divine fifth commandment, “Honor thy father…” Such understanding provides a better and more satisfying menu to pack and complement the table for a father’s sumptuous feast.
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