Father

27th Week in Ordinary Time - Wednesday (10 October 2018)

Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14

Luke 11:1-4

“Father....”

Today's gospel reading of the Mass presents the Lucan version of the Lord's Prayer, where Jesus teaches his disciples to call God as “Father” (Abba).

Jesus' whole life is based on his intimate experience of God as Father. Jews gave God the name “Yahweh” in ancient times; but it was their custom not to name him directly. They used other names or expressions to evoke the holy “name” of Yahweh in their everyday conversation: “the Heavens,” “the Power,” “the Place,” “the One who lives in the Temple,” “the Lord.” Jesus too could have used this language like anyone else, but what comes from his heart is the name “Father.”

God is our Parent, who takes care of even his most fragile creatures; who is intimately related to us; who makes the sun rise on the good and the evil; who sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous; who reveals himself to the little ones. We could use any name that reminds us of the most loving person; God is a Person beyond gender and beyond all human description; God is a mystery of goodness itself. That's why even without using any name or even without using the word “God” we can approach Him, we can be present to His love.

But, we need to remember, one cannot fall in love with an idea or doctrine, but only with a Person who is loving. The only way to experience this Mystery of Presence is through love and relationship; in other words, God cannot be known with our mind, He can only be loved. He reveals himself only in love, as Jesus himself shows: a God who always and everywhere loves, forgives, heals, strengthens, enlightens.

Most of us are afraid of God. We have perhaps consciously or unconsciously combined the human images of our father and mother, or other significant persons. We think God as a judge, or a cop, or even as a spy. We are too careful with God. We think He is very calculative, and petty-minded as we humans are. We are afraid we may offend Him if we use the wrong words for Him, or if we do wrong actions. If God is only love and mercy, why should we be careful or afraid? Think of seven billion persons committing at least one sin per day! Think about our universe that has no boundaries! Think about the billions of galaxies kept in existence! Our God needs to be at least as big as the universe, and as complex as the things within them. Our God needs to be as humble and simple as a microbe or an atom. Above all, think about yourself, a human person created in God's image. You are not a drop in the ocean; you are the entire ocean in a drop. You are not a tiny speck of dust in the universe; you are the entire universe in nano-size. Therefore, this God of ours is not only lovelier than we can imagine, but He is lovelier and loving than we are capable of imagining or thinking.

If we believe the Lord's Prayer to be not only the pattern of all prayers, but the programme of life itself, then it is a programme of love to imitate God who is love itself. As forgiveness is the central to this prayer, it needs to be centre of our life and love. Our lives are supported by God's boundless providence and mercy. Why don't we accept Him to be our Mother or Father (or Grandmother or any other loving person) with all our trust and affection? Or is there any other way?