The title probably got your attention because it seems harsh, however that’s only on the surface. My wife asked me what I wanted for Father’s Day. I told her I was good with whatever and that I did not have any wants. That made me think back to Mother’s Day a few weeks ago. I asked my wife what she wanted. She told me that it was just another day to her and that she did not really care what she got. That kind of hurt my feelings at that moment because I did not understand. I thought to myself “This is her day. What does she mean that it is just another day.? This day is for her, she should have wants and needs.” It was not until later that I finally understood what she meant. I was listening to a lecturer by Venerable Fulton J. Sheen. He was objecting to the notion made by some that God is self-centered because he commands us to love and worship him. Sheen made the point that God does not need us to worship, praise him etc. We need it. It is for our benefit. In a similar way, when a child picks wild flowers and brings it to their mother, It is done out of love because the child wants to show and express love. The mother does not need it. The mother is of course grateful and feels appreciated but she ultimately does not need it. This helped me understand on a deeper level what my wife was conveying to me. I believe the commercialization of these types of days has distorted the purpose slightly. We should honor our parents. Not because it is simply commanded by God, but because it is beneficial to us. We do it freely to show our love and respect. It is not about the gifts, or what we think our parents would want or need. As a father, it is not a day for me to request things or gifts that I want. I will be happy and grateful with whatever I am given, whether it be material things or words because it is not about me. It is about the Love.