Fr. Nathaniel Meyers
Chaplain

The conventional wisdom about the household is that the father is its head and the mother runs it. Indeed, each of us can likely point to anecdotal evidence that supports just such a position. However, while this may be the operative hierarchy for many families, there is no reason why we should persist in such an understanding of family dynamics. A father cannot only serve as a figurehead, but also must be involved in the nitty-gritty details of what happens in the household.

Each man who is blessed to be a Christian husband and father must choose to invest himself in the life of his wife and children. Changing diapers, doing the dishes, helping with homework, and participating in conversations are all essential duties for the man who dares to follow in the footsteps of St. Joseph. As the role model for all Christian husbands and fathers, St. Joseph teaches us that the exalted status as head of the household (which he certainly held when leading the Holy Family during Herod’s slaughter of the Holy Innocents) is only made possible by committing oneself to the mundane minutia of family life. Simply put, a man cannot properly lead his family if he does not know the realities it faces.

The Church is in need of good, holy men who will rise to the challenge of running a household by instructing their family in the way of holiness. A father is called to show his children that virtue can be practiced in the simplest of tasks, that we can grow in holiness by putting aside our desires for the good of another, and that there is no facet of family life undeserving of a shepherd’s care.

Furthermore, as a husband, that same man is to show his wife that he is united to her in caring for the family and bringing about the salvation of their children. Thus, no household detail is too small for the Christian man, because every facet of the household can be used either to bring the family closer to God or to let the family drift away from its divine source.