Our Father who art in heaven ----------
Any understanding we have of who God is comes through Divine Revelation.
“It pleased God in His goodness and wisdom to reveal Himself and to make known the mystery of his will”.
The image of God seen in the Old Testament seems far from that of a loving Father: yet he did not abandon Adam and Eve after they fell into sin.
“But God did not abandon our first parents after the fall, God brought them up with the hope of Salvation”.
The love of the Father is seen in God’s actions to redeem mankind. We may have to look past the flood of Noah’s Day, the thunder and lighting, the tablets of stone at Mt. Sini. Yet who but a Father would love a simple people this much? When I read the Old Testament I admit it is at times difficult to see God as Father or understand His divine will as that of a loving Father, when judgment seemed to rule the day. But it was in fact the Father who called Abraham to prove his faith by sacrificing this son. The type and picture of the sacrifice the Father would make with His only son Jesus.
Then God said “Take your son your only son Isaac whom you love, sacrifice him there as a burnt offering.
God has in every age revealed Himself as a loving Father. Revelation comes to us from many sources which transcend time. Creation in an of itself is the beginning and foundation of all Gods works. My parents in partnership with God created me, my mother the vessel allowed the grace of God to bring me to life. Not a distant angry God, but a Father who sought to have a relationship with me.
“For you created my inmost being: you knit me together in my mother’s womb”.
The Nicene Creed in its opening statement affirms God’s role as Father: “We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth”. There can be no doubt that the church from its inception had a perception of God as Father through creation.
Looking back to the creation of our first parents and forward to my creation, God the Father has been the divine source of love that set our world and my world in motion. The church has an understanding of God as Father in redemption, as well as creation.
By calling God “Father” the language of faith indicates to main things: That God is the first origin of everything and transcendent authority; and that He is at the same time goodness and loving care of all his children.
God’s greatest expression of Himself as Father is though Jesus Christ. The revelation of God as Father in an unheard of sense. He is not only creator but he is eternally Father in relation to the Son.
“No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the son.”
Following this apostolic tradition, the church confessed at the first ecumenical council at Nicaea (325) that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, that is, one only God with Him. Jesus said, “if you have seen me you have seen the Father”.
Jesus the second person of the trinity as the Nicene Creed proclaims “Through Him all things are made”. We see the love of the Father though the creation of the Son. Jesus was the manifestation of all the attributes of the Father.
A father watches over his children, even with a passing glance at the life of Christ we cannot miss the unconditional love Christ expressed for all His creation. The sacrifice of his own life to redeem all of mankind is the perfect example of the Father’s love.
Creation, redemption and the second person of the Trinity has given the church ample understanding of God’s father image.
The liturgy of the Church expresses our understanding of God as Father. The disciples came to Jesus and said: “Lord Teach us to pray.” He said to them, “When you pray say: Father, Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us or sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation” The disciples had an understanding of God as Father.
From its inception the Church has incorporated the Our Father prayer into it liturgy. Together we as a church, Christian, sons and daughters of God express our belief that God is our Father.
On some level the early church experienced God as Father. As time passed our God experience has evolved to a greater appreciation of this image. Creation, redemption, Jesus and the liturgy are all evidence that God is seen as Father by the church.
Though the working of the Holy Spirit we are all given divine revelation. The path we take to come to a personal relationship with God is different for everyone. Yet together at the same time, we seek a very intimate relationship with our God. We are seeking to fill a void in our lives with a relationship with God. Not the God far way, all powerful and knowing, but a relationship with Father God, Abba, Daddy. It seems beyond our very imagination that he would set world in motion would desire to love me as Father.
The New Testament, the words from the mouth, lips of God bring us to understand God as Father. The Church experiences God and His love through the reading of scripture at Mass. The church understands and experiences God as a Father though our imperfect earthly fathers. Though imperfect many Dad’s exhibit the love of God. The care and concern for those placed in their care. Placing the needs of their family before own. The church has ample opportunity to know the love of a father as they walk with their earthly fathers. The sacraments, in particular the Eucharist shows us God as Father. The Father providing for the needs of his children.
The children of Israel experienced God providing for them as they journey through the desert. God provided manna. “He gave you manna to eat in the desert something your Father had never known”. Food from Heaven provided by the Father. The nation of Israel gathered the heavenly bread as instructed. They had no part in providing the manna, they did not produce it. It was a heavenly gift from their Father.
The lives of the Old Testament people serve as guidepost to the church. God provided the divinely inspired written history for our edification. The Eucharist our heavenly bread is provided by God. (Manna was a type or picture of Eucharist.)
God provides for this children the body and blood of Christ at each mass. It nourishes our souls. He provides exactly what we need. He knows what we need even before we ask. He knows us better than we know ourselves.
Which of you, if his Son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish will give him a snake? If you then through you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?
If we miss the Father image in creation, or in redemption though I don’t see how, if we miss him though the roll of Father though the Son and prayer or scripture, we must surely see him as Father in the Eucharist. As a Catholic for six years I wonder at times how I ever grew as a child of God with out communion. I received communion (crackers and grape juice) but not the body and blood of Christ. The spiritual food provided by the Father through the Son. I am jealous of the cradle Catholics who have been blessed to have received this gift of grace for so many years.
The question; what is the churches understanding of God as Father? I don’t think of the hierarchy of the church when I read the question, I think of the individuals who make up the body of Chirst.
That being said, I can see God’s revelation of Himself as Father, but I think the churches understanding of God as Father ebbs and flows. At times I can see we get it, but there have been times when the light of revelation was dim. As I mentioned the Israelites wandering in the wilderness probably had a tough time seeing God as a father figure. The church pre-Vatican II, I don’t believe experienced God as Father. Their experience of God for the most part was less personnel. The parable of the talents would express their God experience rather well. The master gives one servant five talents another two and the thirds servant one. Then he went on his journey. The servant who received five talents put his talents to work and gained five more. The one with two talents gained two more. The servant with one talent went off dug a hole and hid his master’s money. When the master returned he rewarded the first two servants. The third said to his master “I knew you were a hard man harvesting where you do not sow.”
The scale of God with our sins on one side and good works on the other. At the very least we pry for balance. The image of scales and being weighted in the balance and found wanting. Thank God for Vatican II, post Vatican II the image of God has drastically changed. I think the parable of the prodigal son found in Luke Chapter 15.
A young man took his share of his Fathers Estate, squandered it in wild living, came to his senses and returned home. But while he was a long way off his Father saw him and was filled with compassion. Of course we don’t all walk the same path at the same time but the church as the body of Christ understands the term father as it relates to our God. The Father aspect of the first person of the Trinity is seen in all the ways I have mentioned. Creation, redemption, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. The scriptures with all the rich images of father. The liturgy, Eucharist and our prayer. Through all these things the church understands God as Father. God’s prayer and desire for us I believe is that all of His creatures would have the confidence to address Him as Father, Abba – “Daddy”.
“It pleased God in His goodness and wisdom to reveal Himself and to make known the mystery of his will”.
The image of God seen in the Old Testament seems far from that of a loving Father: yet he did not abandon Adam and Eve after they fell into sin.
“But God did not abandon our first parents after the fall, God brought them up with the hope of Salvation”.
The love of the Father is seen in God’s actions to redeem mankind. We may have to look past the flood of Noah’s Day, the thunder and lighting, the tablets of stone at Mt. Sini. Yet who but a Father would love a simple people this much? When I read the Old Testament I admit it is at times difficult to see God as Father or understand His divine will as that of a loving Father, when judgment seemed to rule the day. But it was in fact the Father who called Abraham to prove his faith by sacrificing this son. The type and picture of the sacrifice the Father would make with His only son Jesus.
Then God said “Take your son your only son Isaac whom you love, sacrifice him there as a burnt offering.
God has in every age revealed Himself as a loving Father. Revelation comes to us from many sources which transcend time. Creation in an of itself is the beginning and foundation of all Gods works. My parents in partnership with God created me, my mother the vessel allowed the grace of God to bring me to life. Not a distant angry God, but a Father who sought to have a relationship with me.
“For you created my inmost being: you knit me together in my mother’s womb”.
The Nicene Creed in its opening statement affirms God’s role as Father: “We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth”. There can be no doubt that the church from its inception had a perception of God as Father through creation.
Looking back to the creation of our first parents and forward to my creation, God the Father has been the divine source of love that set our world and my world in motion. The church has an understanding of God as Father in redemption, as well as creation.
By calling God “Father” the language of faith indicates to main things: That God is the first origin of everything and transcendent authority; and that He is at the same time goodness and loving care of all his children.
God’s greatest expression of Himself as Father is though Jesus Christ. The revelation of God as Father in an unheard of sense. He is not only creator but he is eternally Father in relation to the Son.
“No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the son.”
Following this apostolic tradition, the church confessed at the first ecumenical council at Nicaea (325) that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, that is, one only God with Him. Jesus said, “if you have seen me you have seen the Father”.
Jesus the second person of the trinity as the Nicene Creed proclaims “Through Him all things are made”. We see the love of the Father though the creation of the Son. Jesus was the manifestation of all the attributes of the Father.
A father watches over his children, even with a passing glance at the life of Christ we cannot miss the unconditional love Christ expressed for all His creation. The sacrifice of his own life to redeem all of mankind is the perfect example of the Father’s love.
Creation, redemption and the second person of the Trinity has given the church ample understanding of God’s father image.
The liturgy of the Church expresses our understanding of God as Father. The disciples came to Jesus and said: “Lord Teach us to pray.” He said to them, “When you pray say: Father, Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us or sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation” The disciples had an understanding of God as Father.
From its inception the Church has incorporated the Our Father prayer into it liturgy. Together we as a church, Christian, sons and daughters of God express our belief that God is our Father.
On some level the early church experienced God as Father. As time passed our God experience has evolved to a greater appreciation of this image. Creation, redemption, Jesus and the liturgy are all evidence that God is seen as Father by the church.
Though the working of the Holy Spirit we are all given divine revelation. The path we take to come to a personal relationship with God is different for everyone. Yet together at the same time, we seek a very intimate relationship with our God. We are seeking to fill a void in our lives with a relationship with God. Not the God far way, all powerful and knowing, but a relationship with Father God, Abba, Daddy. It seems beyond our very imagination that he would set world in motion would desire to love me as Father.
The New Testament, the words from the mouth, lips of God bring us to understand God as Father. The Church experiences God and His love through the reading of scripture at Mass. The church understands and experiences God as a Father though our imperfect earthly fathers. Though imperfect many Dad’s exhibit the love of God. The care and concern for those placed in their care. Placing the needs of their family before own. The church has ample opportunity to know the love of a father as they walk with their earthly fathers. The sacraments, in particular the Eucharist shows us God as Father. The Father providing for the needs of his children.
The children of Israel experienced God providing for them as they journey through the desert. God provided manna. “He gave you manna to eat in the desert something your Father had never known”. Food from Heaven provided by the Father. The nation of Israel gathered the heavenly bread as instructed. They had no part in providing the manna, they did not produce it. It was a heavenly gift from their Father.
The lives of the Old Testament people serve as guidepost to the church. God provided the divinely inspired written history for our edification. The Eucharist our heavenly bread is provided by God. (Manna was a type or picture of Eucharist.)
God provides for this children the body and blood of Christ at each mass. It nourishes our souls. He provides exactly what we need. He knows what we need even before we ask. He knows us better than we know ourselves.
Which of you, if his Son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish will give him a snake? If you then through you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?
If we miss the Father image in creation, or in redemption though I don’t see how, if we miss him though the roll of Father though the Son and prayer or scripture, we must surely see him as Father in the Eucharist. As a Catholic for six years I wonder at times how I ever grew as a child of God with out communion. I received communion (crackers and grape juice) but not the body and blood of Christ. The spiritual food provided by the Father through the Son. I am jealous of the cradle Catholics who have been blessed to have received this gift of grace for so many years.
The question; what is the churches understanding of God as Father? I don’t think of the hierarchy of the church when I read the question, I think of the individuals who make up the body of Chirst.
That being said, I can see God’s revelation of Himself as Father, but I think the churches understanding of God as Father ebbs and flows. At times I can see we get it, but there have been times when the light of revelation was dim. As I mentioned the Israelites wandering in the wilderness probably had a tough time seeing God as a father figure. The church pre-Vatican II, I don’t believe experienced God as Father. Their experience of God for the most part was less personnel. The parable of the talents would express their God experience rather well. The master gives one servant five talents another two and the thirds servant one. Then he went on his journey. The servant who received five talents put his talents to work and gained five more. The one with two talents gained two more. The servant with one talent went off dug a hole and hid his master’s money. When the master returned he rewarded the first two servants. The third said to his master “I knew you were a hard man harvesting where you do not sow.”
The scale of God with our sins on one side and good works on the other. At the very least we pry for balance. The image of scales and being weighted in the balance and found wanting. Thank God for Vatican II, post Vatican II the image of God has drastically changed. I think the parable of the prodigal son found in Luke Chapter 15.
A young man took his share of his Fathers Estate, squandered it in wild living, came to his senses and returned home. But while he was a long way off his Father saw him and was filled with compassion. Of course we don’t all walk the same path at the same time but the church as the body of Christ understands the term father as it relates to our God. The Father aspect of the first person of the Trinity is seen in all the ways I have mentioned. Creation, redemption, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. The scriptures with all the rich images of father. The liturgy, Eucharist and our prayer. Through all these things the church understands God as Father. God’s prayer and desire for us I believe is that all of His creatures would have the confidence to address Him as Father, Abba – “Daddy”.
