Do not allow yourself to be called Teacher or Father

The word for teacher is Tagalog, the language of the Philippines is ‘guro’. This is also the root meaning of the word ‘guru’ which means a Master or Teacher. When Jesus was addressed by His followers or those who acknowledged His superior preaching ability they addressed Him as Rabbouni or Rabbi which also means ‘Master’ or ‘teacher’.

How does one get to be given such an honorific as “Master”? In some martial arts it comes as a result of reaching a certain level or superiority in your discipline. But in the Catholic church you achieve it by being ordained. Getting yourself through the seminary and jumping through the required holy hoops. A priest is automatically referred to as “reverend” and “Father” and given all forms of unearned respect. Herein lies the inherent danger.

People give to priests a respect they neither earn nor deserve.

There is an innate human need to have Rabbis or teachers. But Jesus told His disciples to not allow themselves to be addressed as ‘teacher’ or ‘Father’ because He said, “You have only one Father and He is in heaven” and “you are all brothers.”

So why do we persist in addressing priests as “Father”? I use the preface to my name to distinguish myself from the 7,819 other Kevin Lee on Facebook and the over two thousand Kevin Lees on Twitter so my real friends can find me, but I never referred to myself as “Father Kevin Lee” in conversation except when I needed certain doors opened.

So why do we need priests and gurus and Masters and other experts to teach us what we ought to know already? It’s because many of us humans lacked good fathering in our childhood and are still looking for leaders and father-figures.

This is a human weakness and implies an immaturity when we seek the advice or guidance of others instead of seeking to communicate directly with the Divine.

I also fall into that category of immature humans who seek a father figure or teacher here on earth. I used to seek out spiritual ‘gurus’ and ask advice about what they thought I should be doing with my life. I made the frequent mistake of assuming that because this person or that looked ‘holy’ or lived what I deemed a holy life, they were closer to God than me. I often bestowed that trust in priests or religious brothers that, superficially at least, displayed a peace or tranquillity that I attributed to being at one with God.

How sad I was when I was regularly betrayed or proved wrong about those I entrusted my spiritual belief in.

One by one they showed their flaws and the cracks that I was not looking to discover, but God pointed out to me. I say it’s sad because it was something I was disappointed to discover. I want to believe that there are men and women who are totally altruistic and seeking only to serve God through His earthly children. But one by one my illusions have been shattered. As I got to know people who knew them more intimately that myself I saw them for who they really were and slowly their rocklike façade eroded and that pristine image I had created for them gradually dulled.

I still believe that there are holy men and women walking this mortal path but I am yet to meet them. I do have some close approximations to perfection whom I have gotten to know over the years but I will reserve my judgement of them until I learn more about them. The reason I say this is because even those I was convinced were holy and living examples of Jesus for me in the past have all shown their true colours in later years and proved my theory that true holiness does not exist on this planet, or in this generation.

Even the saints I have admired have shown a darker side to me in my later investigations of their lives. For instance, although I admire Padre Pio and revere him for his holiness and sacrifice, I have met older Italians who knew him and described his fierce temper in the confessional or his judgemental dismissal of those who did not make a perfect confession to him. I even heard from an Italian parishioner whose mother knew him well that he hit some women with the cord he wore around his waist because they were talking in church.

I had decided to write about more of the saints at this juncture but my Guardian Angel prompted me not to. The reason, as he explained, is that I have made my point and my opinion of another’s sanctity based on another’s observations hardly serves as proof. So I leave it at that. I do expect I will keep searching for a holy person who will inspire me to want to try harder to follow Jesus’ example and live a life on this side of the grave that better approximates the kind of existence Jesus demonstrated is possible.

I wish I could know a human being who is so in touch with God that he or she could lead me to a better knowledge and purer love of the eternal life. If you know such a person, please, please tell me!

Blessings on your day!