Why “Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno”? Isn’t “Señor” (Lord) more appropriate?
THE TITLE NAZARENO IS TAKEN FROM:
Mt 2:23 [DRB] “And coming he dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was said by the prophets: That he shall be called a NAZARENE.”
Mt 2:23 [1909 Spanish Reina Valera] “Y vino, y habitó en la ciudad que se llama Nazaret: para que se cumpliese lo que fué dicho por los profetas, que había de ser llamado NAZARENO.”
THE TITLE: “NUESTRO PADRE JESUS” [JESUS OUR FATHER] IS BASED ON ISAIAH 9:6 THAT THE MESSIAH SHALL BE OUR “EVERLASTING FATHER”:
Isaiah 9:6 For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, THE FATHER of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 Porque un niño nos es nacido, hijo nos es dado; y el principado sobre su hombro: y llamaráse su nombre Admirable, Consejero, Dios fuerte, Padre eterno, Príncipe de paz.
IN SIMPLE TERMS IN DECLARES THE DIVINITY OF JESUS AS OUR CREATOR AND SOURCE OF LIFE (Jn 1:1-3):
John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.”
Thank you Father for the explanation. But, other than during this feast, we never hear in Church the Lord Jesus being called “Father.” Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Son of God, Santo Niño are the more popular terms, but “Father” has always been identified with God the Father. Without proper catechesis, this will confuse many Catholics.
ALL OUR DEVOTIONS, LITURGICAL TERMS AND EVEN DOGMATIC TERMS REQUIRE CATECHESIS. WITHOUT CATECHESIS WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND ANY OF THEM. WITHOUT PROPER CATECHESIS EVEN EXACTING WORDS LIKE MOTHER OF GOD, JESUS IS GOD, TRANSUBSTANTIATION, ETC. WILL BE VERY CONFUSING.
THIS TITLE OF THE LORD IS A MERE POPULAR TITLE AND NOT A DOGMATIC TITLE LIKE THE FORMULA OF THE SIGN OF THE CROSS. SO IT MUST NOT BE INTERPRETED DOGMATICALLY JUST LIKE OUR CHILDREN CALLING HIM: “PAPA JESUS” OR “PAPA STO. NINO” HA HA HA I DONT THINK THE POPE WILL EXCOMMUNICATE OUR CATHOLIC CHILDREN FOR DOING SO. ITS A TITLE OF ENDEARMENT RATHER THAN A DEFINED TERM. HE HE HE
ALSO, THAT IS A BIBLICAL MANNER OF REFERRING TO THE LORD. BESIDES THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH 9:6 THE LORD JESUS REFERS TO HIMSELF AS OUR FATHER AND WE ARE HIS CHILDREN:
John 13:33-35 Expanded Bible (EXB)
33 Jesus said, “·My children [or Little children; C a term of endearment], I will be with you only a little longer. You will ·look for [seek] me, and what I told the Jews [7:33–34; 8:21], I tell you now: Where I am going you cannot come.
34 “I give you a new ·command [commandment]: Love ·each other [T one another]. You must love ·each other [T one another] as I have loved you. 35 All people will know that you are my ·followers [disciples] if you love ·each other [T one another].”
John 13:33-35 [GNB] “My children, I shall not be with you very much longer. You will look for me; but I tell you now what I told the Jewish authorities, ‘You cannot go where I am going.’ And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
IF JESUS CALLS US: “MY CHILDREN” THEN HE IS OUR FATHER TOO. BUT JESUS ALSO CALLS US “BROTHERS” SO HE IS OUR BROTHER TOO. BOTH ARE BIBLICAL AND BOTH ARE CORRECT DEFENDING ON THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE.