Jesus Teaches us, no man should be addressed as “FATHER”.
To all of my Christian brothers who happen to be a “Dad” Happy Daddy’s Day this coming Sunday.
I am addressing this verse of scripture to my Christian/Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, although all are more than welcome to read it and comment.
MATTHEW: 23: verse 9: “And call no man your (“Father”) upon the earth, for one is your Father which is in Heaven.”
For years now Roman Catholics have out of a form of respect, reverence and love, wrongly referred to their pastors and priests as “Father”.
What the Catholics do not seem to realize is that this is done in direct defiance of what Jesus teaches us in MATTHEW: 23: v.9.
I brought this to the attention of one particular priest I happen to know quite well, and he sarcastically asked me if that means that we should cancel “Father’s Day, to which I replied informing him that “Father’s Day” was a secular celebeation created by man, that definitely “Dads” are due respect and a special day of acknowledgement the same as mothers but why not call it “Dad’s Day” instead of “Father’s Day”.
Jesus was at the time addressing a group of followers, including his disciples and some scribes and Pharisees and trying to explain to His followers not to raise up or exault any one man over another.
Jesus was teaching this because the people were lifting up the scribes and pharisees giving them undeserved praise for as Jesus explains that these pharisees who they refer to as Rabbi or Master would lay heavy burdens upon the people while they themselves would not eve lift a finger, yet they would take the credit for all good deeds done. In other words they did nothing to earn the respect of being addressed as Rabbi or Master. Furthermore only Almighty God, deserves such a title as He is “Father” to all creation all life.
Jesus himself when being addressed as Rabbi or Master, objected to such, realizing that only Our Father God was so worthy.
The Roman Catholic Priests of today’ s church, was chosen by Almighty God, He was chosen to serve God as a sheherd to God’s flock and perform whatever service God asks of his to perform as a part of His Service, whether it be saying mass, baptizing, teaching, visiting the sick or those in jail, they were called by God and answered that calling. Like you and like me and every other Christian we are all called to serve God in whatever capacity we are called to serve.
I am not trying to speak disrespectfully of Priests, the priesthood is a Heavenly calling of God and priests deserve acknowledgement for the amount of good works they do within the community and for their congregations.
I am though, trying to point out to my fellow Christian/Catholics that if they are truly Christians they have been without proper scriptural knowledge ignoring one of Jesus teachings, and that there is something that needs to be corrected.
Scripture also tells us that if we do something wrong butwe are unaware that it is wrong, it is not a sin, But, once we know it to be wrong, if we do nothing to correct it we then are sinning deliberately.
Either one is a Christian and chooses to follow all of the teachings of Jesus Christ, or one is not. We cannot, we have no right to pick and choose which of Jesus teachings we will choose to follow or not follow, it is all or nothing.