You were poorly catechized as a Catholic and it appears you haven't learned much since leaving.
I also read that you were never to call anyone here on earth father...because there is but one Father and He is in heaven. Matthew 23:9...Go figure.
Paraphrasing Scripture out of context...Go figure. That's a common fault for linguistic literalists.
"But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master; and all you are brethren. And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for one is you master, Christ. He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant." Matthew 23:8-11
"Who said: Ye men, brethren and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charan." Acts 7:2
"And when he had given him leave, Paul standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. And a great silence being made, he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying: Men, brethren and fathers, hear ye the account which I now give unto you." Acts 21:40-22:1
"Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (As it is written: I have made thee a father of many nations), before God, whom he believed: who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things that are not, as those that are." Romans 4:16-17
"I write not these things to confound you: but I admonish you as my dearest children. For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you." 1 Corinthians 4:14-15
"To Timothy, his beloved son in faith. Grace, mercy and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord." 1 Timothy 1:2
"To Titus, my beloved son according to the common faith, grace and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Saviour." Titus 1:4
"Persevere under discipline. God dealeth with you as with his sons. For what son is there whom the father doth not correct? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are made partakers, then are you bastards and not sons. Moreover, we have had fathers of our flesh for instructors, and we reverenced them. Shall we not much more obey the Father of spirits and live?" Hebrews 12:7-9
"If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26
"As you know in what manner, entreating and comforting you (as a father doth his children)," 1 Thessalonians 2:11
"I beseech thee for my son, whom I have begotten in my bands, Onesimus," Philemon 1:10
"I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, babes, because you have known the Father. I write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one." 1 John 2:13-14
The word there is REPENT...repent means a changing of ones mind...it is not saying prayers in front of a statue. Penance is:
an ACT of self-abasement, mortification, PERFORMED to show sorrow for sin.
Repent on the other hand means to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of ones life. To change ones mind. Contrition.
You are right in one thing...I am no longer indoctrinated in the catechism...because I found so many faults in it. As much of what I did learn from the sisters was not biblically correct.
Jesus made atonement for our sins on the cross...it doesn't say anywhere in the Bible to abase myself to help the process along. Confess your sins and you will be forgiven. No other act or work needs to be done.
"But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master; and all you are brethren. And call none your Father upon earth; for one is your Father, who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for one is you master, Christ. He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant." Matthew 23:8-11
...So what part of that scripture says it is ok to be titled Father? Am I missing something here....guess believing that the Bible actually means what it says, is wrong..hmmm. But then again..you said I am a linguistic literalist. Thank you...a wonderful compliment and right on the money. I personally believe that God doesn't lie and that His word is truth and to be taken at face value, literally. To add to or to take away from it ruins it.
All your scriptures are very nice but they do not name anyone with the title, Father...there is no Father Paul..or Father Luke. Acting like a father is not the same as being titled a Father. I can go and do some doctoring and put a band-aid on a knee..but I am not entitled to the title Doctor..because I do not have what it takes to be that...men here on earth can act as fathers but they don't have what it takes to be God...the Father. This is what the writer is saying here. We are not even close to being God the Father...nor should we claim His title.