Excuses, excuses.
Jesus is clear, whether you make the absolutely ludicrous claim that He meant even children should not call their male parent *Father*, or take the actual, sensible understanding that in context He’s talking about using the title for religious leaders, either way, Catholics disobey the clear, concise command of Jesus, and their church demands it by insisting on the use of the title for their priests, in direct violation of what Jesus Himself said.
IOW, one big massive fail of deliberate disobedience to Jesus.
You think Jesus is making excuses?
Jesus said “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell” (Matt. 5:29, cf. 18:9; Mark 9:47).
Have you plucked out your eye or tongue?
Judges 17:10; 18:19 - priesthood and fatherhood have always been identified together. Fatherhood literally means “communicating one’s nature,” and just as biological fathers communicate their nature to their children, so do spiritual fathers communicate the nature of God to us, their children, through (hopefully) teaching and example.
Eph. 3:14-15 - every family in heaven and on earth is named from the “Father.” We are fathers in the Father.
Acts 7:2; 22:1,1 John 2:13 - elders of the Church are called “fathers.” Therefore, we should ask the question, “Why don’t Protestants call their pastors “father?”
1 Cor. 4:15 - Paul writes, “I became your father in Christ Jesus.”
1 Cor. 4:17 - Paul calls Bishop Timothy a beloved and faithful “child” in the Lord.
2 Cor. 12:14 - Paul describes his role as parent over his “children” the Corinthians.
Phil. 2:22 - Paul calls Timothy’s service to him as a son serves a “father.”
1 Thess. 2:11- Paul compares the Church elders’ ministry to the people like a father with his children.
1 Tim. 1:2,18; 2 Tim. 1:2-3 - Paul calls Timothy his true “child” in the faith and his son.
Titus 1:4 - Paul calls Titus his true “child” in a common faith. Priests are our spiritual fathers in the family of God.
Philemon 10 - Paul says he has become the “father” of Onesimus.
Heb. 12:7,9 - emphasizes our earthly “fathers.” But these are not just biological but also spiritual (the priests of the Church).
1 Peter 5:13 - Peter refers to himself as father by calling Mark his “son.”
1 John 2:1,13,14 - John calls the elders of the Church “fathers.”
1 John 2:1,18,28; 3:18; 5:21; 3 John 4 - John calls members of the Church “children.”
1 Macc. 2:65 - Mattathias the priest tells his sons that Simeon will be their “father.”
Matt. 15:4-5; 19:19 - Jesus uses “father” when He teaches God’s commandment to “Honor your father and your mother.”
Mark 7:10-12; Luke 18:20 - these are more examples of Jesus using “father” when teaching about honoring our fathers and mothers.
Eph. 6:2,4 - Paul also teaches to honor your “father” and mother, and says “fathers,” do not provoke your children.
Matt. 10:21; 35,37; Mark 13:12 - Jesus says “father” will deliver up his child in the last days.
Matt. 19:5; Mark 10:7,19 - Jesus says a man shall leave his “father” and mother and be joined to his wife. See also Eph. 5:31.
Matt. 19:29; Mark 10:29-30 - Jesus says whoever has left mother or “father” for His sake shall receive a hundredfold.
Matt. 21:31 - Jesus uses “father” when he teaches about the parable of the two sons and asks, “who did the will of his “father?”
Luke 6:23,26 - Jesus speaks about reward and punishment with reference to what their “fathers” did to the prophets.