(Seventh Sunday of Easter (B): This homily was given on May 11, 1997 at St. Pius X Church, Westerly, R.I. by Fr. Raymond Suriani. Read John 17: 11-19.)

"Why we call God ‘Father’."

Why do we call God "Father?" Why not "Mother?" Why is it that our primary designation for God is male? Didn’t the Israelites refer to God as "He" because they were anti-woman--because they believed that women were inferior to men? Why is it that the Church refuses to throw away this archaic idea and get with the rest of the world? After all, Jesus said that God is essentially neither male nor female. As he told the Samaritan woman in John 4: "God is Spirit." So why must we continue to use this sexist, male image for the Lord?

Aren’t these appropriate questions for Mother’s Day? I think they are. They certainly are common questions. You often hear them raised nowadays in conversations that focus on religion and the Bible.

Actually, I center on this issue this morning because of what our Lord says in today’s gospel text from John 17. This is part of the famous "High Priestly Prayer" that Jesus offered up on Holy Thursday night at the Last Supper. Midway through that prayer he says these words (which we heard a few moments ago): "O Father most holy, protect them [here he’s speaking about his disciples]--protect them with your name which you have given me." Then a few verses later he says, "I guarded them with your name which you gave me."

Now what strikes me about these verses is not simply the fact that Jesus calls the First Person of the Trinity "Father;" what also strikes me is the fact that Jesus indicates that the Father’s NAME is extremely important. He implies that his disciples will receive (and have received) protection through the name of the Heavenly Father. So obviously if God’s name has such a positive effect, it would not be a wise idea to change it! It seems to me that changing it would put us in spiritual danger; we would lose the divine protection that the Lord’s name affords us.

This, of course, is one reason why we call God "Father:" because Jesus did. And that’s perhaps the best reason of all; but unfortunately for some people in the modern world it’s not good enough. They’ll say, "Well, of course Jesus referred to God in male terms. He was just following the cultural norms of his day. If Jesus were on earth now, he’d certainly do things differently. He’d have no trouble calling God ‘Mother.’ Theologically speaking, he’d have no objection to that title."

Oh yes he would. The Church (lest we forget) is the Mystical Body of Christ on earth; so we can be sure of the fact that if Jesus’ Church objects to it, so would he. The Church, after all, is guided by His Spirit!

So what are the theological reasons why we refer to the Lord in male terms?

Well, three of the best reasons I ever encountered were given by (believe it or not!) a male Jewish writer and a female Jewish rabbi! (Apparently this controversy about calling God "Mother" has even found its way into modern Judaism!) These two individuals, Matthew Berke and Rabbi Paula Reimers have hit on 3 very important reasons why the Old Testament speaks of the Lord primarily in male terms. And of course, the New Testament builds on the Old. It’s the very same God who reveals himself in both places.

The first reason they give for rejecting the idea of a "Mother God" concerns creation: Berke and Rabbi Reimers would say that if you begin to call God your Mother, you will soon end up as a pantheist! One leads quite naturally to the other. A pantheist, of course, is someone who believes that everything is God--the sun is God, the floor is God, the pulpit is God--everything you see, touch and experience is a part of God.

And why does this idea of a Mother God lead to pantheism? Simple: Calling God our Mother implies that creation comes forth from her, like a child comes forth from the womb of its mother. So you end up seeing creation as a part of God. But that’s not true. That’s not what God’s Word teaches. God’s Word teaches that creation is not God. God’s Word teaches that creation is distinct from the Lord. Consequently, I am not God and you are not God and the sun, the floor and the pulpit are not God! (Someone needs to tell this to New Agers like Shirley Maclaine!) So here we have one very important reason why God inspired the writers of the Old Testament to speak of him primarily in male terms: He wanted his people to avoid pantheism--the pantheism of their pagan neighbors who did have female gods!

The other two reasons that Berke and Reimers give for speaking of God in male terms both follow from this first one. They would say this: "If God is Mother, and all creation comes forth from her womb--then you eventually come to the point where you can no longer speak of sin and evil as such." What we now call "sin" and "evil" would simply be aspects of what might be called the "dark side" of God. So in this system God actually becomes the source of good and evil alike! Well, I don’t think I need to give you a long explanation as to why that idea is absolutely incompatible with Judaism and Christianity!

And finally, if God is Mother, then you and I are no more valuable than this pulpit--or that pew--or the little ant that’s crawling around on the sidewalk outside the church. Because if God is Mother, and creation comes forth from her womb, then everything that comes forth is equally a part of God; and consequently everything that comes forth is of equal value. To that (of course), the writers of the Old and New Testaments would say, quite simply, "We don’t think so!"

So here we have rotten, old Fr. Ray demolishing the notion of God as "Mother" on (of all days), Mother’s Day! Well, that’s true. But here’s something we must never, ever forget: Yes, God is our Father. But, as far as human persons are concerned, the greatest masterpiece of our Heavenly Father was A Mother! And every good mother who has ever lived has shown her children some of the love of that Mother, Mary--Mary, who made many sacrifices for her child; Mary, who worried about her son and shared not only in his joys, but also in his sufferings. Those are some of the qualities of every good mother. To these great women, living and deceased, we, your children, say "Thank you" on this special day (weekend). Through the prayers of our Mother Mary, may you all be blessed by our Heavenly Father, now and forever. Amen.