Father Elijah on the Transcendent nature of Fatherhood
For a father, giving life as defined by biology is a matter of minutes, so fatherhood can't be defined just by that. Fatherhood is essentially a spiritual affair.
When a child calls its father, this father is called to call to the heavenly Father, on whose behalf he is a father. And he is called to help his child also to call to that heavenly Father. Of course, that's also the case when a priest or minister is called 'father'.
Motherhood is more closely linked with nature, its meaning is less immediately spritual. That does not mean it's less divine - for especially if we are Christians, followers of the Son of God born from a woman, we believe that God has hidden great secrets in nature. But the meaning of fatherhood is more immediately transcendental. Calling the father is the first step for the child to look beyond itself.
I think a mother communicates love to the child directly through the flesh, the father gives the moral means to pass on this love.
The mother gives a wordless knowledge of what is good and confirms to the child the dignity of life, whereas the father confirms that there are causes even more worthy than this earthly life, and that there is an invisible source of all things that are good.
Our mother is our first abode, where we were surrounded by love. She manifested our love by being one with us. Our father showed us how to become different from our mother and translate the love we received from her into our gift of ourselves. Our father manifested his love by giving us the means to manifest our love.
It's as if a mother gives warmth, while the father shows the fire.
When a child calls its father, this father is called to call to the heavenly Father, on whose behalf he is a father. And he is called to help his child also to call to that heavenly Father. Of course, that's also the case when a priest or minister is called 'father'.
Motherhood is more closely linked with nature, its meaning is less immediately spritual. That does not mean it's less divine - for especially if we are Christians, followers of the Son of God born from a woman, we believe that God has hidden great secrets in nature. But the meaning of fatherhood is more immediately transcendental. Calling the father is the first step for the child to look beyond itself.
I think a mother communicates love to the child directly through the flesh, the father gives the moral means to pass on this love.
The mother gives a wordless knowledge of what is good and confirms to the child the dignity of life, whereas the father confirms that there are causes even more worthy than this earthly life, and that there is an invisible source of all things that are good.
Our mother is our first abode, where we were surrounded by love. She manifested our love by being one with us. Our father showed us how to become different from our mother and translate the love we received from her into our gift of ourselves. Our father manifested his love by giving us the means to manifest our love.
It's as if a mother gives warmth, while the father shows the fire.
posted by Father Dave at 4:48 PM
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