Comment on Happy Father’s Day

Fathers of the 21st century face new realities and new challenges, but also new joys. On Sunday, we honor our fathers, recognize their sacrifices, the example they set, the way they toil for their families and the often thankless job that falls to them of pushing us up and out of the nest. If we accept that fatherhood imbues men with certain characteristics, then fathers, especially with their sons, are the tough love to a mother’s nurturing, the kick in the butt to Mom’s pat on the back. The 19th century French essayist Joseph Joubert put it this way: “Love and fear.