Word of the Week

Trinity Sunday

Father: Abba (Ar.): meaning “father”, customary title used of God in prayer; an intimate address.

God the Father is the First person of the Blessed Trinity. “Jesus revealed that God is Father in a unique way: not only as Creator, the origin of all things, but as eternal Father in his relationship to his only Son, who is eternally begotten of the Father and consubstantial with the Father (240, 242)” (CCC Glossary, 879). Furthermore, “By calling God "Father", the language of faith indicates two 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 for all his children…” (CCC, 239).

Father can be found in Sacred Scripture hundreds of times, but it is the unique Aramaic word “Abba” that can be found in the New Testament only three times.The only gospel account of “Abba” can be found in Mark where he records Christ’s Prayer in Gethsemane (Mk.14:36). This underscores the value of calling upon God as “Abba” in our time of need, while at the same time being open to accepting his will. Note Christ’s words after his prayer, “not what I will, but what you will” (Mk.14.36). Christ’s prayer in his time of distress is not filled with anxiety and disappointment, but acceptance! A lesson for all of us. Christ hears because of his continuous life of prayer!

Paul reminds us that the divine sonship shared between God the Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, is the blessing of inheritance that we receive in Baptism (Rom.8:15), an inheritance of participation in the life of the Trinity (2 Pet.1:4). This installment of blessing is the law that the prophet Jeremiah prophesied would be “written on our hearts” (Jer.31:33). Christ’s new law is a law of divine adoption in which we pray as Christ prays, “Abba! Father!” No longer as slaves, but as sons in the Son (Gal.4:6; Rom.8:15).

Christ teaches us that prayer is more than a distress call. It is a language of relationship rooted in the willingness to be changed for the sake of the Father’s will. Prayer ought to be a continuum set to the rhythm of our day. By calling upon God as “Abba! Father!”, we are called to allow God to transform our wants into his needs, whatever they maybe. Prayer is more about listening to God than it is about us speaking to God, and recognizing God as Father, is the first step to listening to God. What child who wants to do what his father requests does not listen? So let us remember our posture of prayer as children of God, that the trials and tribulation of our daily struggle may be conformed to the one who conquered sin and death!

"This treasure of humanity enriched by the inexpressible mystery of divine filiation and by the grace of adoption as sons in the Only Son of God, through whom we call God "Abba, Father", is also a powerful force unifying the Church above all inwardly and giving meaning to all her activity.”

--John Paul II

Primary Texts Consulted

•  Catholic Bible. Suggested trans. Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition.
•  Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition, 1997.

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