God did not create human fathers, realize they were like him, and decide to call himself our Father. On the contrary, He created marriage and family to communicate not only Christ’s love for his church, but also the Father and Son’s love for each other.

Fathers are their children’s first pastors—the most influential humans in terms of life direction. Children are shaped by their father’s love or hate, interest or disinterest, presence or absence.

Parenthood is a calling, far more important than any vocation.