Sunday Theological Thoughts

While in Mass today I noticed an oddity that I’d heard many times but never really thought about: just before the congregation recites the Lord’s Prayer, the priest says, “At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say…”

“Why ‘dare’?” I thought. “Doesn’t Christianity present God as a father?”

A little research revealed this:

The priest notes what a privilege it is for us to be able to talk to God in this way: “At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say …” What is it that we dare to say? “Our Father”. This is precisely what Jesus calls us to do. It underscores the intimate relationship we now have with God because of Jesus’ work of salvation. We share his life because he came to share ours. Through our union in Christ, God has truly become our Father.

Website for Church of St. Vincent DePaul in Singapore

I suppose the argument might be that pre-Jesus, no one would have thought to call God Father. I don’t really know. But there’s always been something of a thread of fear in most theisms, which seems somewhat unhealthy to say the least.

It’s certainly present in the Bible, including this curiosity: “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm” (Proverbs 19:23).

It seems somehow to echo what’s said later in Mass, just before going to take communion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” If God is indeed to be seen as a father-figure, who ever talks to their father that way? If my children said they’re not worthy of being in my presence, I would wonder how I’d managed to raise them with such little self-esteem. I don’t even know that you could raise children to think that way without emotionally abusing them. I understand the sense of humility, but this just seems to be a little much. I know, I know — I’m viewing it through a human perspective. That’s all any of us have, though, and it seems, honestly, a little like a cop-out. “Who are we to question the ways of God?” covers a multitude of unanswered prayers.