18th July, 2013
An experience, exactly this time last year when I was in a parish, to substitute a parish priest during his days of retreat. There were a few elderly ladies who were regular for the daily Eucharist and after the celebration everyday, they spent some time talking to me. They loved to hear of the Bible and one day the most vociferous of them asked me - "Is there a name for our God!" Before I could say, "Yes, Jesus!", she intervened and said, "I mean, God the Father! Does God have a name?" And I quoted to her today's reading and said, "Yes, our God is I AM. Or when we say it...Our God is WHO IS". She was thrilled to know the name of God, and was going around telling everyone, the name of God, the new discovery that she has made. When the Parish priest returned a week later, one of the first things she told him was, "Fr. you know, I know the name of our God. Our God is, WHO IS, or I AM, or YAHWEH"...And the Parish Priest was very upset; he turned to me and said - "No Christy... That is the God of the Hebrews!" The elderly lady was a bit preoccupied, if I gave her a wrong information! I did not want to pick a theological argument with the Parish priest...but I thought to myself - "Yes...that is the God of the Hebrews, and therefore the God of Jesus too...the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as St.Paul would say (2 Cor 1:3; Eph1:3; Col 1:3)." God identified godself through Moses that God is WHO IS (I am), and Jesus the Son of God revealed to us a God WHO IS ALWAYS WITH US... One who is concerned about us, journeys with us, leads us by hand and wants to be with us always, specially when we are tired and heavy laden, specially when we are through the lowest moments of our lives, specially when we feel we are abandoned and all alone. Yes, Our God is WHO IS!