Pat Arensberg: Introduction to God the Father

“Original sin is, above all, an attempt to abolish the fatherhood of God.”  -paraphrase of John Paul II in Crossing the Threshold of Hope

Ok, I know that the above phrase demands an explanation.  Unfortunately, it is an explanation I don’t have the space to offer in this blog.  Suffice it to say, that Adam and Eve were not tempted by a piece of fruit.  Fundamentally, they rejected that God was their loving father and believed the serpent who said God was trying to keep them down.  Want more about that?  Call my office to schedule a talk on the Theology of the Body of John Paul.

Now, we all know that God the Creator does not have a body.  But, when asked by his disciples for the best way to pray Jesus taught them and us to call the Creator, “Our Father.”  So, while he is certainly not male Jesus told us to relate to the Creator as our daddy.  We will discuss that concept in much more detail this week.  For now, let me offer a couple of simple thoughts.  

There are two ways for a toddler to ascend the stairs in their home.  One is to struggle one stair at time.  I have watched my own children do this.  The other way is for them to stop crawling, look to their daddy and put their arms in the air (asking with their actions to be carried).  My children have done this to me too.  As a human father, with all of my weakness and imperfection, I can’t resist it.  I pick them up and carry them close to my breast to the summit of the stairs.  Our heavenly daddy wants us to do the same.

Second, and now I address the fathers in particular, bring your “A” game!  Your children are learning from you what their heavenly Father is like.  You better be as loving and unselfish as possible with His children that are on loan to you.  He will ask you at the end of your life, “How well have you loved my children?”

About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children.