TODAY’S READINGS

In today’s Gospel (Mt 23:1-12), as Jesus death approaches, He really lays into the scribes and Pharisees. One verse that has caused controversy since the Protestant Revolt:

“Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.” (v. 9)

“Jesus is stressing that humility is essential for the ministry, lest those who area placed in authority over others think of themselves as superiors rather than servants. No one, after all can compare to the ‘Father’ in heaven…The disciples of Jesus will share in the mission of the Father..through their commission to teach the gospel (28:19-20), but theirs is a derivative participation in something divine. Hence, the title[] in questions appl[ies] absolutely only to the Lord.” (The Gospel of Matthew [Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture], 292)

“Jesus uses hyperbole to post a warning that no one should pridefully desire honorific titles. His words are not meant literally. The NT writers elsewhere use father for natural fathers (Heb 12:7–11) and spiritual fathers in the Church (1 Cor 4:15; Philem 10). ● The spiritual fatherhood of New Covenant priests is an extension of its application to Old Covenant priests (Judg 17:10; 18:19).” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The Gospel of Matthew, 57)

Understood properly, using the Bible itself (not to mention Tradition), there can be no question that using “Father” to address our biological fathers and our priests, All these men must acknowledge they are not God — not even close. But, to the extent they emulate the first person of the Trinity, they are true Fathers.

Check here and here on one my favorite Catholic resources, that provides an apologetic for calling certain men “Father.” St. Paul Center (another of my fave organizations) helps with this question here.

Depiction of God the Father (detail) (1654) by Pieter de Grebber

God bless.