Is it true that 'Abba' doesn't mean father?

[Veronica1949]

Few weeks ago, while training for my granddaughter 1st. communion, the lady who gave a speach to the parents said something that confused most of us.

She said that GOD, the Angels, have no gender; she said that ABBA doesn’t mean “father” so it can be a female figure. But the Bible names Gabriel, the Angel and that is a “male” name.

My question is: What is the Vatican stand on God’s gender?.

Thank you.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

Granted, the only person of the Trinity that has a body and therefor, gender, is Jesus. But He taught us to call God, Abba, Father.

Since this woman is contradicting what the Church teaches about God as FATHER, Son and Holy Spirit, the least she could have done was to state her sources.

This is what the Original Catholic Encyclopedia says about it:

Abba is the Aramaic word for “father.” The word occurs three times in the New Testament (Mark, xiv, 36; Rom., viii, 15; Gal, iv, 6). In each case it has its translation subjoined to it, reading abba o pater in the Greek text; abba, pater in the Latin Vulgate, and “Abba, Father” in the English version. St. Paul made use of the double expression in imitation of the early Christians, who, in their turn, used it in imitation of the prayer of Christ. Opinions differ as to the reason for the double expression in our Lord’s prayer: (I) Jesus himself used it; (2) St. Peter added the Greek translation in his preaching, retaining the Aramaic direct address; (3) The Evangelist added the Greek translation; (4) St. Mark conformed to an existing Christian custom of praying, by way of hysteron proteron.

oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Abba

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.