Call No Man Father

Understanding Christ’s word about the Father

08/27/2023

Mt 23:1-12 Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Today we hear one of those hotly controversial passages that Protestants and Catholics differ in our interpretation of. Jesus says, “Call no one on earth your father.” And because of that statement of Christ’s many of our Protestant brothers and sisters refuse to call Catholic priests, “Father.” They are being obedient to Jesus, and calling no one on earth “Father.” Christ seems to be very clear.

Sometimes I play tennis with different people here in Fort Smith. And some of them are Catholics while others are not Catholics. And sometimes I even play against Protestant ministers and I am not quite sure how introduce myself. If I say, “Hello, I am Fr. John,” some people respond by saying, “Hello, nice to meet you, JOHN.” Since some people make it clear they don’t want to call me Father, I simply introduce myself as “John.”

Other people resort to calling me “Reverend” in order to be respectful, but still avoid the term “Father.” After all, Jesus said very plainly, “Call no one on earth your father.” Yet others say it is unfair to play against a priest because he has divine intervention on his side. I wish my tennis game was good enough to be called “divine intervention.”

The point is that this passage causes no little controversy and heartburn when we try to understand what Jesus meant when he said “Call no one on earth your father.” Should we not even call our biological father, “Father”? Is that what Jesus really meant?

Well, I think we have to begin with considering the larger context, where Jesus is addressing the scribes and the Pharisees. They are attempting to overstep their proper role and responsibility within the Jewish religion. They have a role and a place: they are seated on the chair of Moses, and so they are to interpret and help the people to understand the law of God as written by Moses in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible.

But the scribes and the Pharisees are trying to go beyond that, and take the place of the Father, God’s place. And no one can do that because God alone is God, and no one has a right to step into his arena and usurp his prerogatives. That is why Jesus is telling them to step back, out of the role that God the Father alone possesses. He alone is Father in this unequivocal sense, and they are trying to nudge their way into that sense.

And so Jesus says “Step back, call no one on earth Father in the sense that God alone is your Father.” And that is where the scribes and the Pharisees were a little confused. Obviously, we can call priests and other people, like our biological dads, “father.” We might say in the sense of a small “f” for father. But when we spell Father with a capital “F”, we refer to God the Father and his role in our lives that is unique, non-transferable, no one can take his place.

Let me give you a modern example of respecting the role of God the Father, and all the little fathers we have in our lives. This coming Tuesday we will begin our RCIA classes. RCIA classes are for those who want to become Catholic, or learn more about the Catholic religion. And I will be there and welcome everyone, and I’m so pleased we have such a large class this year.

I always give a little piece of advice, since many people are there becoming Catholic for various reasons. In a sense, different "fathers" have helped them to get to that room on Tuesday night. What do I mean? These are fathers with little a “f” – people who have inspired them, encouraged them, and taught them.

But at the end of the day, you should not become Catholic for someone else. You should not become Catholic for your wife. You should not become Catholic for the sake of your children. You should not become Catholic because some priest told you to become Catholic. All these people can inspire, teach, and explain things to you, because they are fathers with a little “f”.

But there is only one Person you should obey and become a Catholic for, and that is the Father with a capital “F”. You become Catholic because in your heart you hear God inviting you to become a Catholic. And I tell them this, which kind of startles them: If you do not hear in your heart a voice that tells you to become Catholic, don’t become Catholic!

You just heard a Catholic priest tell you not to become Catholic, unless you hear that voice in your heart saying, “Come, become a Roman Catholic.” Because that is the voice of the Father, with a capital F. And no one else in this church, not even the one speaking to you, can take the place of that Father. Our conscience is supreme because we believe our conscience is that sacred space within each human being, in which the Father speaks to us. In that sense, Jesus means “Call no one on earth your father.”

Praised be Jesus Christ!