As a husband, father and public servant, I'm thankful for the

When Denis McDonough proclaims, “As a husband, father and public servant, I’m thankful for the counsel and wisdom of my older brothers – Bill, who was a priest, and Kevin, who is a priest,” he speaks as one who has walked among the burdens of life—family, nation, and faith—and has leaned upon the guidance of those whose call is to the sacred. His words are not only of personal gratitude, but of eternal truth: that none of us walks alone, and that in moments of decision, the counsel of the wise is a gift beyond measure.

The origin of this gratitude lies in McDonough’s own life, spent in service to his family and to his country. As a husband and father, he bore the responsibility of love and leadership within his household. As a public servant, he carried the weight of decisions that touched thousands, even millions. In such roles, the heart can grow weary, the path uncertain. Yet he found strength and clarity in the wisdom of his brothers, men devoted to the priesthood, who spoke not from ambition or politics, but from a wellspring of faith and spiritual discernment.

This pattern is as old as history. Consider Moses, who carried the heavy burden of leading the Israelites through the wilderness. Though chosen by God, even Moses faltered beneath the strain of leadership, until his father-in-law Jethro counseled him with words of wisdom: to share the burden, to seek guidance, to not walk alone. Just as Moses was upheld by the counsel of the wise, so too was McDonough strengthened by the voices of his brothers, priests who reminded him of truth beyond the noise of the world.

There is great humility in his thankfulness. For many who rise to positions of authority believe themselves sufficient, eager to appear strong and self-reliant. Yet McDonough confesses his need for counsel, his reliance upon others more experienced in matters of the spirit. This humility is itself a mark of wisdom, for the ancients declared that the proud fall quickly, but the one who listens to counsel endures. His gratitude is the sign of a man who knows that even the highest callings are steadied by voices beyond his own.

His words also remind us of the sacred role of family. In his brothers he did not find rivals, but guides. They stood not as politicians, but as priests, carrying the mantle of spiritual insight. This bond of kinship, united with faith, became for him a well of strength. It is a reminder that within every family there can be pillars of wisdom, if only we have the humility to listen. In a world often divided between public life and private devotion, McDonough reveals the harmony that is possible when these spheres are joined by counsel and by love.

From this truth we draw a lesson: seek out those who carry wisdom, and treasure their counsel. Do not walk alone in the journey of life, whether as parent, leader, or servant. Each of us, no matter how great, needs the voice of the priest, the mentor, the elder, the friend who can remind us of higher truths when we are blinded by the urgency of the moment. To be thankful for such voices is to acknowledge that we are part of a greater tapestry, woven together by the guidance of others.

Practical wisdom follows. In your own life, cultivate relationships with those who guide you toward virtue. Listen more than you speak. Seek not only the counsel that pleases you, but also the counsel that challenges you, for that is where growth lies. And if you are blessed, as McDonough was, with family who hold such wisdom, honor them openly, speak your gratitude, and let their voices shape your path.

Thus, in the words of Denis McDonough, we hear an eternal teaching: that the strength of a man lies not only in his own resolve, but in the wisdom he inherits from others. As husband, as father, as servant of the people, he leaned upon the guidance of his brothers, and in his thankfulness, he offers us a model of humility and strength. Let us too be grateful for those who counsel us, and let us, in time, become voices of wisdom for those who follow after.