Illustration by Danny Gregory.
A few weeks back, I was walking down Bloor Street when a bold sign in a window caught my attention. It was about male penguins and how rad they are for taking care of eggs while all the mothers are off looking for food. My quasi-feminist sensibilities caused me to do a double-take. There were more signs, one about fox fathers, one about sea-horse dads, all of them equally as flattering as the one before. “They’re not allowed to do that,” I thought to myself, “Don’t they know this kind of gender pride just comes off as insensitive and tired?” Then I thought it must be some horrible art installation. A comment on women’s-rights propaganda? Men are awesome too? I was reaching pretty far.
Actually, it was a retail store: Father’s Day was just around the corner.
We’re not used to giving love to men for being men. Men are jerks, or at the very least, stupid, if we’re to believe our TVs. And when we do give them love, it’s often by acknowledging traits which our society has deemed to be feminine. Sea-horse dudes carrying babies? Penguin papas guarding eggs? Is that the best we can do?
I had to think about it more.
I thought about my own dad, who, for part of my life, had to be both a mother and a father to me. He sat on the egg for a while, in a manner of speaking, and it was an incredibly self-sacrificial time. I’m sure we can all think of times when our fathers gave up hopes, dreams, or hobbies for their families. Even the so-called dumb dads.
Maybe that’s all the Father’s Day signage was really meaning to say. That all those animals, all the great dads, and all of creation is pointing us to a truly great Father. A Father with the kind of selfless love that looks pathetic and ugly to the hard-hearted. The kind of Dad that all of us want to grow up to be like, if we’re brave enough.
Take courage, dads. You’re doing us all a great service.
—Andrew Patten
I’m not saying the subjects under discussion at tomorrow’s Trinity-Spadina Interfaith Potluck Picnic aren’t pressing and important and well worth your attendance. Listen, MP Olivia Chow is going to be there, to speak to Toronto’s faith communities about what Canada is doing to address the Millennium Development Goals laid out by the United Nations, from eradicating extreme poverty and hunger to achieving universal primary education to combating HIV/AIDS and other diseases. By showing up, we’ll be expressing our commitment to peace, justice, and our role as stewards of God’s creation.
First, on Friday evening, an ever-expanding group of Knoxites (and plenty of non-Knoxites) will be playing through the Arcade Fire’s debut album, Funeral. This cacophonous event will get started at 7 p.m. in Goforth Hall. Bring your shakers and your noisemakers and join in—or just come for the show. More details 
Then, on Saturday night, the Film and Faith group will be screening German director Wim Wenders’s 1987 film Wings of Desire, also known as Der Himmel über Berlin, which follows two angels as they roam the streets of Germany’s capital. (No spoilers here!) I’m guessing you’ve been curious to see this flick since Alex alluded to it in a sermon several Sundays back. Be at Knox House (646 Spadina Avenue) at 7:30 to catch both the movie and an engaging discussion about Christianity and urbanity. If you’re on Facebook, you can RSVP 