In Korea, we celebrate Parents Day on May 8th every year, but Americans celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day separately. Generally, in the United States, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of every June. The first Father's Day celebration was held in Spokane, Washington, by Sonora Smart Dodd. Her father, a Civil War veteran, William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children.
After hearing a sermon about Jarvis' Mother's Day in 1909, Dodd told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday, the pastors did not have enough time to prepare their sermons, so the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June. The day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.
While thinking about Dodd's father, the thought struck me: what does Luther's father look like? There is little known about Luther's family because when people think of the Reformation or the Protestant Church, they are only interested in Luther himself. In addition, when some Lutheran scholars describe Luther's father, they like to portray him as a very obstinate father. While is it true that Luther's father has only the image of a strict authoritarian father, this is only a half-truth.
Martin Luther's father, Hans Luther, was born to farmers in Moorgrund, Germany. Hans was an incredible man in his own right, joining the newly emerging German middle-class. Not being able to inherit the family farm, he moved to Eisleben and then later Mansfeld, where he worked in the local copper mines.
He worked his way up and eventually became part owner of at least six mines and two foundries and became a prominent member of the community.
Hans wanted Martin to also be able to move up in the world and sent him to school to be a lawyer. At that time, to be a lawyer was a shortcut to gain money, honor, and a high social standing. In accordance with his father's wishes, Luther prepared to enroll in law school at the University of Erfurt as soon as he graduated from the university.
However, in July 1505, Luther had a life-changing experience that set him on a new course. Caught in a horrific thunderstorm where he feared for his life, Luther cried out to St. Anne, the patron saint of miners, "Save me, St. Anne, and I'll become a monk!"
The same year on July 17th, Martin Luther entered the Observant Augustinian monastery. Although he was a devout Catholic, Hans was deeply disappointed when Martin left school to join the monastery, as monks were held in very low esteem at that time by many in the laity.
By 1507, he was an ordained priest and offered his first mass. Hans came to see Martin's first Mass. After Mass, Hans and Martin Luther sat down to meet together. Martin, as if he were still a little child, turned and asked; "Dear father, why were you so contrary to my becoming a monk? And perhaps you are not quite satisfied even now. The life is so quiet and godly." Hans flared up before all the doctors and the masters and the guests, "You are a learned scholar. Have you never read in the Bible that you should honor your father and your mother? And here you have left me and your dear mother to look after ourselves in our old age."
Hans had a deep affection for Martin. He presented Martin with the copy of Roman law and addressed him in polite speech. Martin also respected his father very much, but Hans has been vehemently opposite to Luther entry into monastery.
On this account, some Lutheran scholars like to describe Hans as a very obstinate father; it is simply the outcome from the failure to recognize Han's deep heart.
In fact, to celebrate Luther's first mass, he made a handsome contribution to the monastery.
While at first glance, Hans might look like a obstinate father, he traveled to Wittenberg to celebrate his son's marriage to Katie von Bora and celebrated with Martin and Katie from afar when their children Hans, Elisabeth, and Magdalena were born.
Did Martin Luther feel his father's love? When Martin's first son was born in June 7, 1526,. he was named after Martin's father, Hans. Even though Luther failed to achieve his father's wish to be a lawyer, he still loved him.
Nowadays, while a mother is thought of as warm, and the giver of love and devotion in the minds of many, the father is only remembered as stubborn and obstinate.
The negative image of the father, such as one who abuses the mother and is unkind to the children, still remains in many people's minds.
Although it may seem shallow, the love of father is very deep. It is our father who stays strong for the family, and tries not to show weakness.
Moreover, like Luther, some Christians decided they wanted to be pastor, even though the family disapproved.
Nowadays, Christianity in Korea is not the religion of love and generosity, but rather the subject of dislike and hate. In spite of this recognition for Christianity, some Christians decided to be a pastor against the parents' wishes. Although they may be devout Christians, many parents do not want their sons to become a pastor. This is because the pastor held in very low esteem in the modern day.
However, as God called Martin Luther to reform the church and society in the Middle Ages, now God also is calling Christians to reform the church and society. Sometimes, even though it is hard and difficult to live as pastor, and there are many frustrations and failures along the way of following God's will, the Church will be reformed and recover the lost honor and respect, as long as we hold God's calling.
Let's give special thanks and love to our father.
Reverend and Doctor Jin O Jeong is an assistant pastor for the Korean congregation at Zion Lutheran Church, Belleville, IL. He graduated from Luther University and received a Ph.D from Yonsei University. He was also a Research Fellow at Hebrew University and Visiting Scholar at Yale Divinity School. Tel: 618-920-9311 Email : jjeong@zionbelleville.org
