Why Are Priests Called Father?

FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS

Q: A Baptist friend asked me, “Why do we call priests ‘Father’ when Jesus told us not to call anyone on earth ‘father?'” How would you answer this question?

This question refers to Jesus’s teaching found in the Gospel of St. Matthew, when He said, “Do not call anyone on earth your father. Only One is your Father, the One in heaven” (Mt 23:9). Taken literally, we would have to wonder why we do use this title “Father” when Jesus seems to forbid it. First, we must remember the context of the passage. Jesus is addressing the hypocrisy of the scribes and the Pharisees — the learned religious leaders of Judaism. Our Lord castigates them for not providing a good example; for creating onerous spiritual burdens for others with their various rules and regulations; for being haughty in exercising their office; and for promoting themselves by looking for places of honor, seeking marks of respect and wearing ostentatious symbols. Basically, the scribes and the Pharisees had forgotten that they were called to serve the Lord and those entrusted to their care with humility and a generous spirit.

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Second Sunday of Lent, Cycle B February 25, 2018

FIRST READING
Genesis 22:1-2,9a,10-13,15-18
Abraham obeyed God and prepared to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 116:10,15,16-17,18-19
A prayer of faithfulness to God

SECOND READING
Romans 8:31b-34
God's faithfulness is shown in his offering of his own Son for our
salvation.

GOSPEL READING
Jesus is transfigured in the presence of Peter, James, and John.

GOSPEL MK 9:2-10

Jesus took Peter, James, and John
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
from the cloud came a voice,
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.

BACKGROUND ON THE GOSPEL READING

On the second Sunday of Lent in each Lectionary cycle, the Gospel
reading proclaims the story of Jesus' Transfiguration. This event is
reported in each of the Synoptic Gospels--Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This
year, in Lectionary Cycle B, we hear Mark's report of this event.

The context for Mark's Transfiguration story is similar to that found in
both Matthew's and Luke's Gospel. The Transfiguration occurs after
Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus' prediction about
his passion. After this, in each of these Gospels, there is also a
discussion of the cost of discipleship.

In each case, Jesus takes three of his disciples--Peter, James, and
John--to a high mountain. While they are there, Elijah and Moses appear
with Jesus. In Matthew's and Mark's Gospel, there is reference to a
conversation among Jesus, Elijah, and Moses, but only Luke's Gospel
includes the detail that this conversation is about what Jesus will
accomplish in Jerusalem.

Elijah and Moses are significant figures in the history of Israel. Moses
led the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and received from Yahweh the
Ten Commandments. In appearing with Jesus at his Transfiguration, Moses
represents the Law that guides the lives of the Jewish people. Elijah is
remembered as one of the most important prophets of Israel who helped
the Israelites stay faithful to Yahweh. Some Jews believed that Elijah's
return would signal the coming of the Messiah for the Jewish people.
This belief is evidenced in the question posed by Jesus' disciples after
they have witnessed the Transfiguration. The appearance of these two
important figures from Israel's history with Jesus signifies Jesus'
continuity with the Law and with the prophets and that Jesus is the
fulfillment of all that was promised to the people of Israel.

On seeing Jesus with Elijah and Moses and having witnessed his
Transfiguration, Peter offers to construct three tents for them. Mark
reports that the disciples are terrified by what they have witnessed and
that Peter's offer is made out of confusion. We also notice that Peter
has reverted from his earlier confession that Jesus is the Messiah,
calling Jesus rabbi instead. As if in reply to Peter's confusion, a
voice from heaven speaks, affirming Jesus as God's Son and commanding
the disciples to obey him. This voice from heaven recalls the voice that
was heard at Jesus' baptism.

In his Transfiguration, we see an anticipation of the glory of Jesus'
Resurrection. In each of the reports of the Transfiguration, Jesus
instructs the disciples to keep secret what they have seen until after
the Son of Man has risen from the dead. The disciples' confusion
continues as they wonder what Jesus means by rising from the dead. The
disciples cannot possibly understand Jesus' Transfiguration until they
also witness his passion and death. We hear the story of Jesus'
Transfiguration early in Lent, but we have the benefit of hindsight. In
our hearing of it, we anticipate Jesus' Resurrection, even as we prepare
to remember Jesus' passion and death.

FAMILY CONNECTION

Every family has special moments that they remember and share again and
again. In sharing these stories, the meaning and importance of these
events develop and deepen over time. This is how it was with the
disciples' remembrance of Jesus' Transfiguration. The full significance
of what they had seen and experienced could only be understood after
Jesus' death and Resurrection. As they told other believers about this
event and recorded the story for us in the Bible, our understanding of
what it means to call Jesus God's own Son has also deepened.

As you gather as a family, think about some special family memories that
your family tells over and over again. Talk about why these memories are
important to you. Recall that in the Bible we find many important
memories about Jesus that have been recorded for us so that we can
believe that Jesus is God's Son. Read today's Gospel, Mark 9:2-10. What
do we learn about Jesus from this Gospel? (He fulfills the promises God
made to Israel through the Law and the prophets. God glorified Jesus in
his Resurrection. Jesus is God's Son.) Conclude in prayer together that
as we continue to read the Bible, we will deepen our understanding of
and our love for Jesus. Pray together the Lord's Prayer.

Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings

HAPPINESS is a daily decision

You don't find it in the absence of problems.
You find it despite the problems.
Be Happy all the way with the Lord.
Even in the worst of times, never
should our trials make us forget to
count our blessings because

GOD is Good.... All the time!

"A Blessing becomes a blessing when it is spoken"

Therefore today,

Let's declare that We Are Blessed,
with a loving family, good health,
faith, favor, humility, peace,
provision, wisdom, fulfillment.

Declare that everything we put our
hands to do is going to prosper & succeed.

Declare that any curse & negative vibe is null and void.

Declare that We Are Blessed!

Go forth & continue to be a blessing!

A DANGEROUS PRAYER

A visit with a pilgrim group to Jerusalem always includes a moment of reflection on the Mount of Olives where the “Our Father Church” commemorates that moment when Jesus taught this prayer to His disciples. On the walls inside and outside the church, you can find the Lord’s Prayer in more than 60 languages, including Tagalog. We usually sit down there and think about this profound prayer. Then I read a text I got years ago, I don’t know anymore from whom it came from. And this text makes us aware how dangerous a prayer the “Our Father” actually is. Here is the text:

“Do not say ‘Father’ if every day you do not behave like a son or a daughter;

Do not say ‘Our’ if you live isolated in your egoism;

Do not say ‘Who are in heaven’ if you think only of earthly things;

Do not say ‘Holy be Your name’ if you do not honor Him;

Do not say ‘Your Kingdom come’ if you confuse Him with material success;

Do not say ‘Your will be done’ if you do not accept it when it is painful;

Do not say ‘Give us this day our daily bread’ if you are not worried about the people who are hungry, who are without culture and means to live;

Do not say ‘Forgive us our sins’ if you bear your brother a grudge;

Do not say ‘And lead us not into temptation’ if you intend to keep on sinning;

Do not say ‘Deliver us from evil’ if you do not take position against evil;

Do not say ‘Amen’ if you do not take the words of the ‘Our Father’ seriously.”

A dangerous prayer, don’t you think so? The next time you recite it, take note of what you are actually saying. Otherwise, it becomes what Jesus calls in today’s Gospel passage, “a babbling of pagans.” Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

First Sunday of Lent, Cycle B February 18, 2018

FIRST READING
Genesis 9:8-15
God establishes a covenant with Noah, giving a rainbow as its sign.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 25:4-5,6-7,8-9A prayer praising God for his covenant

SECOND READING
1 Peter 3:18-22
In our baptism, we are saved through Christ's death and Resurrection.

GOSPEL READING
Jesus is tempted in the desert by Satan.

GOSPEL MK 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."


BACKGROUND ON THE GOSPEL READING

On the first Sunday of Lent, the Gospel reading in each Lectionary cycle
is about Jesus' temptation in the desert. This event in the life of
Jesus is reported in each of the Synoptic Gospels--Matthew, Mark, and
Luke--but it is not found in John's Gospel. This year we read Mark's
account of this event.

Compared to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, the details throughout
Mark's narrative are sparse. This is evident in Mark's account of Jesus'
temptation in the desert. Mark tells us only that Jesus was led into the
desert by the Spirit and that for 40 days he was tempted by Satan. The
Gospels of Matthew and Luke explain that Jesus fasted while in the
desert, that Satan presented him with three temptations, and that Jesus
refused each one, quoting Scripture. Only the Gospels of Matthew and
Mark report that angels ministered to Jesus at the end of his time in
the desert.

In each of the Synoptic Gospels, the temptation of Jesus follows his
baptism by John the Baptist. In Mark's Gospel, we are told that Jesus
went into the desert immediately after his baptism, led by the Spirit.
Jesus' public ministry in Galilee begins after his temptation in the
desert. Mark's Gospel makes a connection between the arrest of John the
Baptist and the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Jesus' preaching about the
Kingdom of God is in continuity with the preaching of John the Baptist,
but it is also something new. As Jesus announces it, the Kingdom of God
is beginning; the time of the fulfillment of God's promises is here.

The fact that Jesus spent 40 days in the desert is significant. This
recalls the 40 years that the Israelites wandered in the desert after
being led from slavery in Egypt. The prophet Elijah also journeyed in
the desert for 40days and nights, making his way to Horeb, the mountain
of God, where he was also attended to by an angel of the Lord.
Remembering the significance of these events, we also set aside 40 days
for the season of Lent.

In Mark's Gospel, the desert marks beginning of Jesus' battle with
Satan; the ultimate test will be in Jesus' final hours on the cross. In
a similar way, our Lenten observances are only a beginning, a
preparation for and a reinforcement of our ongoing struggle to resist
the temptations we face in our lives. During Lent, we are led by the
Holy Spirit to remember the vows of Baptism in which we promised to
reject sin and to follow Jesus. Just as Jesus was ministered to by the
angels, God also supports us in our struggle against sin and temptation.
We succeed because Jesus conquered sin once and for all in his saving
death on the cross.

FAMILY CONNECTION

The announcement that Jesus makes as he begins his preaching in today's
Gospel is recalled on Ash Wednesday at the signing with ashes: "Repent
and believe in the gospel." This is our challenge for Lent; indeed, it
is the challenge of our entire life. During Lent, we are invited to
strengthen and to renew the promises that we made at our Baptism, to
reject Satan and sin so as to live as children of God. Through the grace
of God that we received at Baptism, we follow the promptings of the Holy
Spirit and know that with Jesus' help, we will be victorious over sin.

As you gather as a family, talk about the importance of Baptism. At our
Baptism, our sins were forgiven, and we promised to live as children of
God. As part of the Rite of Baptism, we rejected sin and Satan. Read
today's Gospel, Mark 1:12-15. During Lent, we renew the promises of our
Baptism, turning again from sin and promising to follow God. Light a
candle, perhaps a candle used at one of your family member's Baptisms,
and pray together the Act of Contrition.


Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings

How St. Thérèse Saved My Soul

"Do you reject Satan?" "I do," I answered. But trembled at the mention of that Name. "And all His works?" "I do," I said again, looking the bishop in the eye and praying fervently that I would. "And all His empty promises?" "I do!" But my soul cried out, "No! I don't! I'll never be able to reject them!" It was the fall of 1974. I was the only grownup in a pew filled with teenaged Confirmation candidates reciting their nervous "I do's." As a recent convert, ex-druggie, long-time drunk, and former soldier, I was acquainted with the night. Memories of past sins danced in my mind. Nonetheless, that night — and with all my strength — I chose goodness. * * * I soon found that Confirmation didn't banish temptation; it didn't drive out despair. Weeks later, troubled by my continued sinfulness and seeking distraction, I happened on the Confirmation gift my sponsor had given me: Fr. Jean D'Elbée's beloved book on the spirituality of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who spent most of her brief life in a cloistered convent. What could such an innocent teach me? My eyes fell on this passage: "I ask that from now on, you never let your past sins be an obstacle between you and Jesus.  It's a ruse of the devil to keep putting our sins before our eyes in order to make them like a screen between the Savior and us." A ruse of the devil? "Think of your past sins to persuade yourself of your weakness; think of them to confirm your resolution not to fall again -- that's necessary -- but think of them mainly to bless Jesus for having pardoned you, for having purified you, for having cast all your sins to the bottom of the sea. "Do not go looking for them at the bottom of the sea! He has wiped them out; He has forgotten them." But I haven't forgotten them -- and I continue to fall. "I'm not saying that you believe too much in your own wretchedness.  I'm telling you that  you don't believe enough in merciful love." * * * And in another place: "Why are you here? Why were you baptized? Why have you learned to know Jesus and to love him?"   The answer? "Because God has chosen you, and preferred you from all eternity, to heap these graces upon you." And: "God's greatest pleasure is to pardon us. The good Lord is more eager to pardon a repentant sinner than a mother to rescue her child from the fire." * * * That last point makes sense of Our Lord's words to a holy soul: "Not a single soul falls into Hell that has not torn itself out of my arms." No wonder St. Thérèse was able to say, just before her death: "Even if I had committed all possible crimes, I would still have the same confidence;I would feel that this multitude of offenses would be like a drop of water thrown into the flaming furnace of God's love."   "This classic beautifully reveals God's deep love for each of us and awakens in us a burning love for Him. If you want to grow in love of God, this book is a must." Fr. Benedict Groeschel    The pages of this book transformed my understanding of God; they brought my soul its first peace in decades. * * * Listen now -- quietly -- and let it bring you peace, too: "I assure you, we are bathed in love and mercy. We each have a Father, a Brother, a Friend, a Spouse of our soul, bent down over us, over our weakness and impotence, with inexpressible gentleness, watching over us like the apple of His eye, Who said 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice, for I have not come to call the just, but sinners.' "This Jesus is haunted by the desire to save us by all means; He has opened Heaven under our feet."   "I heartily endorse this book. It is the best application of St. Thérèse's teaching for individuals seeking to live it daily." Fr. Michael Scanlan, TOR Franciscan University of Steubenville   Are you troubled by your sins? Afraid you don't love enough? "In the same way that Jesus said to St. Augustine, 'You would not seek me if you had not already found me,' He will say to you, 'You would not have this great desire to love me if you did not love me already.' He cannot fail to fulfill, beyond even our greatest hopes, a desire that He himself has inspired." In just a few hours, this singular book, aptly entitled I Believe in Love, showed me I had to quit judging myself and seek but a single treasure: abandonment to God's mercy. In three decades now as a Catholic convert, that's the only program for the interior life I've found to be within my reach. Today, it's within your reach, too. John Barger Publisher Emeritus, Sophia Institute Press P.S. Please forward this message to those you know who may be struggling with guilt and discouragement. I assure you that St. Thérèse will give them the hope and the courage they need, and that God wants them to have.   "Whoever reads this book attentively and prayerfully will grow in the love of God." Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J. Homiletic and Pastoral Review   I Believe in Love: A Personal Retreat Based on the Teaching of St. Therese of Lisieux $18.95 — 304 pages Order Now "I Believe in Love penetrates to the heart of a saint who, through love and humility, the Christ of the heart." Joseph Pearce   "Sophia Institute Press has done us all a great service in bringing this work back into print." Thomas Howard   After you learn about God's merciful love from the Little Flower, continue to feed your heart and soul with this powerful book on St. Teresa of Calcutta and her mission of love for Christ. The countless sweet photos of her smiling at babies showed Mother Teresa to be a single-minded advocate for the poor. But she was a woman with a will whose strength has been matched by few souls in history. Mother Teresa broke death’s stranglehold on the poor of Calcutta, and she showed us how to conquer the sin and darkness in what she called the “slums of the hearts of modern man.” Part biography and part spiritual reading, these pages bring to light little-known stories from Mother Teresa’s life that will help you to grow in your love of God. You will learn her approach to reading Scripture, what enabled her to persevere through agonizing nights, and the remarkable — some would say mystical — events that led her to start the Missionaries of Charity. We are all called to holiness, and the saints are sent to us as “real life” examples of God’s love. With Mother Teresa as your guide, you’ll learn how to follow God’s call and find holiness in a world marked by the shadow of death and growing indifference to God. Indeed, you’ll learn how to be an everyday missionary of Christ’s love in the ordinary activities of your daily life. Get TWO books for only $24.99! Order Now Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Save up to 40% when you join

Isaiah 58:6-9

This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am!

THE COMMANDMENTS: A YES TO VALUES

When we hear the word “commandment,” we easily shy away. There are too many “don’ts” at a time when we want to be free and think real freedom means we can do what we want. But old Moses is wise and has calmed down. He doesn’t thunder anymore like before. He puts a simple reality before the Israelites and before us: There are two ways. You have the choice because God has given you freedom. One way is to see the commandments of God for what they are — loving signposts along the road of life that we might go in the right direction — and obey so that we may be blessed by God and reach our goal. The other choice is to disobey and face the consequences.

       Pope Benedict XVI, in a homily he delivered on September 8, 2007 in Austria, gave an interesting twist to the many don’ts and makes us aware that the commandments of God are all a “yes” to a great value. And I quote him: “To gaze upon Christ! If we do this, we realize that Christianity is more than and different from a moral code, from a series of requirements and laws… it is the gift of friendship. For this reason, it also contains within itself great moral strength which is so urgently needed today on account of the challenges of our time… The Ten Commandments are, first and foremost, a ‘yes’ to God, to a God who loves us and leads us, who carries us and yet allows us our freedom: indeed, it is He who makes our freedom real (the first three commandments). It is a ‘yes’ to the family (fourth commandment), a ‘yes’ to life (fifth commandment), a ‘yes’ to responsible love (sixth commandment), a ‘yes’ to solidarity, to social responsibility and to justice (seventh commandment), a ‘yes’ to truth (eighth commandment), and a ‘yes’ to respect other people and what is theirs (ninth and tenth commandments). By the strength of our friendship with the living God, we live this manifold ‘yes’ and at the same time carry it as a signpost into this world of ours today.” Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Psalm 32:1-2

 Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed the man to whom the Lord imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. 

Matthew 6:31-34

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Follow Jesus from Gethsemane to Golgotha

The four Gospels tell only part of the story of Christ's Passion. Not Included are background facts that provide powerful context to the events surrounding Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion.   The Gospels were initially written for readers already familiar with many of the persons, places, parties, and politics that governed events in those long-past days. So many of these details are unknown to modern readers, twenty centuries later!   Which is why Fr. Ralph Gorman has here crafted a single, unforgettable, detailed account of Jesus' Passion from Gethsemane to Golgotha. He combines material from all four Gospels with critically-important Old Testament passages, plus relevant facts from Jewish and Roman history, laws, traditions, and practices. Fr. Gorman also includes helpful first century military, political, geographical, and archaeological information and keen depictions of Gospel places based on his three years residence there. The result? A richly-textured, moment-by-moment account that brings to vivid life the powerful events that transpired between Jesus' Agony in the Garden and His death on the Cross.    From The Last Hours of Jesus, you’ll come to learn scores of new – and often surprising – things, including:   The exact moment that Satan entered Judas   The dangerous political currents in Palestine that fueled the fatal events of Holy Week   Why Jesus refused to answer many of His accusers   Pontius Pilate: why he admired — but condemned — Jesus   Why, so quickly, Palm Sunday’s “Hosannas” led to Good Friday’s“Crucify him!”   Why, after His death, the Sanhedrin still feared Jesus   And much more to enrich your knowledge, understanding, and love of Jesus   That’s a lot of important, new information – which is why you might not want to read The Last Hours of Jesus straight through, but just turn to one chapter a day as spiritual reading before Mass or during Lent. Either way, you’ll come to understand better the malice of the crowds, the dismay and confusion of Christ’s friends, and the speed with which the deadly events unfolded. Best of all, you’ll come to grasp anew the depths of Christ’s love for you, awakening in you greater devotion to Him than ever before.     The Last Hours of Jesus: From Gethsemane to Golgotha by Fr. Ralph Gorman 304 pages List price: $18.95   Today's Sale price: $14.99 Order Now In the tumult and drama of Holy Week, with its angry crowds and corrupt rulers, its horrors and death, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the simple goodness of the Man at the center of it all.  Not only could Pilate, as he admitted, “find no fault in this just man”; there was no fault to be found.   For Jesus is the one man who was truly and perfectly good. In this new century, when each day brings us ever more salacious news about the evils of men and women, the life of Christ reminds us that goodness is not an illusion, holiness is worth striving for, and our existence has meaning and direction.   Jesus Christ – the Perfect Man that philosophers and storytellers have searched for since the dawn of history – was greater than storytellers have been able to imagine, more sublime than we had a right to hope.   Order Now In this modest little book, The Good Galilean, the holy bishop Alban Goodier highlights for us the quiet goodness of Our Lord, and in ways that place that goodness within our reach, too.   In it, we walk with Jesus, see him talking, answering questions, healing and consoling the men and women who are drawn to him – and in ways that Bishop Goodier shows are possible for us, whoever we are and wherever we live.   You know, the saints demonstrate that it’s possible, by grace, to imitate the model of goodness Jesus has provided us; Bishop Goodier shows how to do it.   Love as Jesus taught it was a new thing in the world. Love as he practiced it made the world another place. Now, with the help of The Good Galilean, it’s time for each of us to play our role in restoring to our suffering world the goodness purchased for it by Jesus.   Get BOTH books for only $19.99! Order Now Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Save up to 40% when you join