廣東俗語有云：「面係人哋比！」嘴巴是長在別人的頭上，人家喜歡說甚麼，我們不能干涉；無論人家稱讚你，或者詆譭你，你拿他沒法，沒奈他何！
作為中國人，我們表達對別人的敬重，亦會尊稱他們為某種的「父」！例如，我們稱爹爹的爹爹為「祖父」、爹爹的兄長為「伯父」、爹爹的弟弟為「叔父」、母親的兄弟為「舅父」。在學校教授我們知識的，我們祇稱「老師」；但教授我們太極拳的，我們卻稱他為「師父/師傅」；稱年老的漁夫為「漁父」；稱教會內的司鐸Sacerdos為「神父/神甫」；上契時叫句「義父/誼父」等等。固然，在大多數的情況下，我們可以避諱那個「父」字，祇稱「祖、伯、叔、舅、師…」。可是，有必要因為耶穌基督的一句話「也不要在地上稱人為你們的父，因為你們的父祇有一位，就是天上的父。」（瑪23：9），就要這樣避諱嗎？是否矯枉過正呢？耶穌基督有意壟斷「父」字的用途嗎？反正，「某種的」父，不完全是單純的「父」嘛！
廣東俗語繼續說：「架係自己丟！」的確有道理，與耶穌基督的啟示，不謀而合：「你們也不要被稱為導師，因為你們的導師祇有一位，就是默西亞。」（23：10）話說一位教師，努力不懈，取得了一個博士的資歷，後來更當上學校的校長。從此之後，她要求別人不要稱她為「某某校長」，而是更準確的「某某博士」。她的下場和她帶給學校的災難，我不用多說了。耶穌基督不是曾提醒過我們，即使別人主動獻媚，稱我們為「某某導師」、「某某博士」，我們也應謝絕的嗎？「滿招損，謙受益。」何嘗不是耶穌基督的教訓啊（23：12）！
我們稱天主為「父」，因為祂按自己的肖像，創造了我們。可以說，祂是眾人之父。稱天主為父，是一種尊崇，是按耶穌基督的啟示而行，是對的。
父啊！天地的主宰！我們稱謝祢，因為祢把真理瞞住了智慧和明達的人，而啟示給謙卑的人。亞孟。
Pride Invites Losses (Matthew 23:1-12)
Cantonese idioms goes, "Others give you face". The lips belong to the others. Whatever they like to say, we have no say. Whether they praise you or defame you, what can you do?
As Chinese, we call people some kind of "fu" out of respect. For example, we call the daddy of our daddy "zu-fu", the elder brother of our daddy "bo-fu", the younger "shu-fu", brothers of your mother "jiu-fu". We only call those who teach us knowledge "lao-shi", but those who teach us kungfu "shi-fu". We call old fishermen "yu-fu", sacerdos in the Church "shen-fu", senior benefactors "yi-fu". Of course, in most cases, we can avoid calling them "fu" But do we really need to avoid calling others "fu" just because Jesus says, "Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven." (Matthew 23:9) Have we overshot? Does Jesus Christ want to monopolize the use of the word "father"? After all, some kind of "father" is not "father" per se, right?
Cantonese idiom continues, "face is taken down by yourself!" How right it is! It is compatible with Jesus' revelation: "Do not be called Master; you have but one master, the Christ." (23:10) A long time ago, a lady teacher worked very hard to earn a PhD and became the headmistress of a school. From then on, she demanded others not to greet her "Principal So-and-so" but more accurately "Dr. So-and-so". I don't have to elaborate her ending and the disasters she brought to the school, suffice to say that Jesus has already reminded us of declining such flattery. Isn't "Pride invites losses and humility benefits" Jesus Christ's teachings as well (23:12)?
We call God our Father because He created us in His image. Thus we say God is the Father of all humanity. It is right for us to call God "Father" out of respect because Jesus Christ reveals so.
Heavenly Father! The Master of the Universe! We thank you because You have hidden the truth from the wise and knowledgeable but reveal it to the humble. Amen.
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