Father Sun Sun, 15th June, 2013
This is an excerpt from my Father's Day sermon, delivered June 16, 2013 at First Unitarian Church of St. Louis.
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On this Father's Day, I am thinking of the difference between father love and mother love, and how they each may contribute to the wellbeing of children. As I contemplate this duality, the Buddhist and Native American celebration of Mother Earth and Father Sun resonate strongly for me.
Neither Earth nor Sun is better than the other, any more than air is better than water or day is better than night. New life, be it animal or vegetable, generally starts with a seed, an egg, that is nurtured in the mother’s body or in the body of Mother Earth.
But once the seedling or newborn emerges from Mother Earth, it requires the light and energy of Father Sun to continue its growth. Once they have been launched into the world, our children will continue to rely on their nurturing parents. But in my own experience, there has always been a division of labor between Mother Earth and Father Sun. These need not be equated to the sex of the parent: The roles may even be interchanged, or one parent may by choice or circumstance play both roles.
The role of Mother love, in my experience, has been more about the hands-on, intimate and immediate care. Mother Earth, after all, is the source of all life, grounding, nourishing and sustaining us in a circle of giving and receiving.
The role of Father love, in my experience, is like that of Father sun, which stands a little farther off, but whose sunlight transmits energy and invites new growth. Father sun stands with arms outstretched and waits for the little one to take his first steps. He is the one who lets go when the child can finally pedal the bike for the first time.
On this Father’s Day, then, let us celebrate the role of the Father in our community and in our families, and give special thanks to those who are a sustaining presence in the lives of children. All is well in the world when the sun continues to rise predictably every morning and infuse the world with its light, warmth and energy.
For those of us who are fathers, and for those mothers and other caring people who take on the role of father, we are reminded that the greatest gift of all is to be fully and consistently present in the lives of our children.
Happy Father's Day, and may the sun shine on you and yours.
This is an excerpt from my Father's Day sermon, delivered June 16, 2013 at First Unitarian Church of St. Louis.
* * *
On this Father's Day, I am thinking of the difference between father love and mother love, and how they each may contribute to the wellbeing of children. As I contemplate this duality, the Buddhist and Native American celebration of Mother Earth and Father Sun resonate strongly for me.
Neither Earth nor Sun is better than the other, any more than air is better than water or day is better than night. New life, be it animal or vegetable, generally starts with a seed, an egg, that is nurtured in the mother’s body or in the body of Mother Earth.
But once the seedling or newborn emerges from Mother Earth, it requires the light and energy of Father Sun to continue its growth. Once they have been launched into the world, our children will continue to rely on their nurturing parents. But in my own experience, there has always been a division of labor between Mother Earth and Father Sun. These need not be equated to the sex of the parent: The roles may even be interchanged, or one parent may by choice or circumstance play both roles.
The role of Mother love, in my experience, has been more about the hands-on, intimate and immediate care. Mother Earth, after all, is the source of all life, grounding, nourishing and sustaining us in a circle of giving and receiving.
The role of Father love, in my experience, is like that of Father sun, which stands a little farther off, but whose sunlight transmits energy and invites new growth. Father sun stands with arms outstretched and waits for the little one to take his first steps. He is the one who lets go when the child can finally pedal the bike for the first time.
On this Father’s Day, then, let us celebrate the role of the Father in our community and in our families, and give special thanks to those who are a sustaining presence in the lives of children. All is well in the world when the sun continues to rise predictably every morning and infuse the world with its light, warmth and energy.
For those of us who are fathers, and for those mothers and other caring people who take on the role of father, we are reminded that the greatest gift of all is to be fully and consistently present in the lives of our children.
Happy Father's Day, and may the sun shine on you and yours.
