"You must call no one on earth your father": How about the title given to Roman Catholic priests? Fundamentalists would answer: "Of course, you should drop it! It is so clearly banned in the Gospel!" But we can trap them using their own way of arguing: "Where is your boy?" "In class" "Who is holding him in the classroom?" "Why, the Teacher!" "Teacher? Drop this title! For the Gospel says: 'You have only one Teacher, the Christ'." Here the nonsense of argumentation is clearer! In the context of the sermon, Jesus is blaming the Scribes and Pharisees, because they love honorific titles; but nowadays neither "Teacher" nor "Father" are honorific titles, but simply roles: "Teacher" is the one who teaches, "Father" is the one who helps the People of God grow in Faith. In fact most priests today would prefer the term "Brother" as better fitting their job; but they are not entitled to introduce changes in the dictionary.

"But aren't there ecclesial leaders who love honorific titles?" Whoever denies that? So,what? "Do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do".