Call None Your Father
Objection: “Why do Catholics call their priests ‘Father’ when the
Bible clearly states ‘call no one your father on earth, for you have one
father––the one in heaven’ (St. Matt. 23:9).”
The above quote from the Gospel of St. Matthew must be read in the
context of the whole of chapter 23, in which Our Lord Jesus Christ
denounces the pride and hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees, the
contrast between their words and their actions (v. 3), the heavy burdens
they placed on the shoulders of the people without giving any assistance (v.
4) and their love to be seen and praised: “They do all their deeds to be seen
by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and
they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,
and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men” (vv. 5-
7).
Our Lord used this hyperbole to provide a lesson in humility, exhorting His
followers to realize that only the Heavenly Father is the genuine Father,
while all others simply partake, or reveal a part, of His Fatherhood. Those
in positions of power or authority are not to lord it over others, imposing
impossible burdens while seeking public recognition and praise. Christ
concluded His admonitions, saying, “whoever exalts himself will be
humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (v.12).
A literal understanding of Our Lord’s words would lead to an absurd
conclusion, prohibiting us from calling our natural fathers “father,” while
allowing us to call our mothers “mother.” Yet, such an interpretation would
go against Scripture itself, where Our Lady says to the Child Jesus: “Son,
why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking
for you anxiously” (St. Luke 2:48). It would also prevent us from calling
anyone “teacher” for Our Lord warned equally against the use of this title
as well: “But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and
you are all brethren” (St. Matt. 23:8).
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