On Being a Good Father
I’ll forever be grateful for the love and support I received from my father. My dad never let a day pass without assuring his two sons of his love and acceptance. Albert Parsons always imaged to his sons the importance of living an honest life, and being kind to everyone. Generous almost to a fault, my dad put himself out for others, forgave those who wronged him, looked for the good in everyone, and always demonstrated the importance of being true to oneself.
Although my brother Dwayne and I were raised Lutheran by a devout mother, my dad didn’t become a regular church goer until he was in his sixties. For our golf pro dad, God’s presence was enjoyed on the golf course, but he thought his boys needed to attend church just as he’d been required to do when he was a boy (he’d been raised in the Episcopal Church). He always supported my mother’s commitment to our Lutheran parish, where she served as the choir director and organist. Both my parents converted to the Orthodox Church, while in their seventies.
Our dad was proud of us, and supported whatever direction we chose for our lives. Since dad believed everyone should be free to go with their heart, he refused to press either of us into careers that would somehow make him proud. He didn’t believe any parent should live vicariously through their children, but only encourage them to live a life that is grounded in honesty, and respect for others.
It is always a joy when I meet fathers who visibly encourage their children, speak proudly of their kids accomplishments, and encourage them to be true to themselves. Dads who lovingly support their children, even when they make choices that don’t conform to their own image of success, demonstrate the best of what it means to be a father. The dad who keeps his eyes focused on Christ, prays for his children, and expresses his unconditional love for his kids, will, in the end, have been a good father, and blessed with adult children who will always be grateful for the dad God gave them.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos: 1) Hieromonk Paul serving the Pentecost Vesper service. 2) Shayne Swensen, and his son Ayden, are making a pilgrimage to the monastery from Spokane, Washington.
Sunday June 20, 2021 / June 7, 2021
Pentecost – Trinity Sunday.
“Lesna” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (1696) (movable holiday on the Trinity Sunday).
Holy Fathers and Mothers of Atchara (18th c.) (movable holiday on the Trinity Sunday) (Georgia).
Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra (303).
New Hieromartyr Archbishop Andronicus of Perm, Alexander, Alexis, Alexander, Valentine, Benjamin, Viktor, Alexander, Paul, Vladimir, Ignatius, Michael, Nicholas, Paul, Alexander, Nicholas priests, Gregory deacon and Martyrs Athanasius and Alexsander (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Nicholas and Peter priests (1919).
St. Paul of Taganrog (Glorification 1999).
Hieromartyr Marcellinus, pope of Rome (304) and with him the Holy Martyrs Claudius, Cyrinus and Antoninus (304).
Hieromartyr Marcellus, bishop of Rome, and those with him: Sisinius and Cyriacus deacons, Smaragdus, Largus, Apronian, Saturninus, Pappias, Maurus, Crescentian, Priscilla, Lucina, and Princess Artemia (304-310).
Martyrs Kyriaki, Caleria (Valeria), and Mary, of Caesarea in Palestine (304).
Synaxis of All Saints of Ivanovo Metropolia.
Venerable Daniel of Scete in Egypt (420).
Virgin-martyr Potamiaena of Alexandria.
Martyr Zenais (Zenaida) of Caesarea in Palestine.
St. Colman, bishop of Dromore, Ireland (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Holy women Aesia and Susanna, disciples of Venerable Pancratius of Taormina and martyred with him (1st c.) (Greek).
Martyr Lycarion of Hermopolis in Egypt (Greek).
Venerable Panagis of Cephalonia (Greek).
Martyrs Tarasius and John (Greek).
St. Stephen the hieromonk (Greek).
St. Anthimus the hieromonk (Greek).
St. Sebastian the Wonderworker (Greek).
St. Anthony (in schema Abramius), monk, of Kozha Lake (1634).
The Scripture Readings
John 20:19-23
The Apostles Commissioned
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Acts 2:1-11
Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Crowd’s Response
5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
John 7:37-52
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given,because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Who Is He?
40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.”
But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
Rejected by the Authorities
45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”
46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”
47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”
50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”
Not growing up with my own father, I sincerely appreciate the fatherly advice, time, and care that you are willing to share.
Amen for those of us who have lost a father who is like you, Abbot Tryphon.