Reflections on Father's Day

Fr. Todd Peterson of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota, has posted reflections on Father's Day. He quotes the Ten Paradoxes of Fatherhood:

1. A leader without being a frontrunner.
2. A visionary without being arrogant.
3. A servant without being servile.
4. An authority without being authoritarian.
5. A lover without being sentimental.
6. A supporter without being subordinate.
7. A disciplinarian without being punitive.
8. Merciful without being spineless.
9. Humble without being self-deprecating.
10. Courageous without being foolhardy.

While these are originally written for biological fathers, I agree that they also apply to Spiritual Fathers. It is one of the reasons that if a potential candidate is turned off at the thought of being a Dad, he won't make a good Father.