Who is this God we are called to serve?

September 16, 2007 -- 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Bishop Robert Morneau

	Bishop Robert Morneau
	Questions for reflection: 1. How has your image of God changed in the last five years? 2. How do you live, on a daily basis, the graces of love and mercy? 3. What do the parables tell you about the mystery of God?

Our image and concept of God is absolutely crucial to our spiritual well-being. One author, Brigid E. Herman, maintains that a fundamental problem in prayer life is that our image of God is ill-formed or immature. So who is the God to whom we pray and the God we are called to serve? Our greatest theologians have been dealing with this question down through the ages.

The God presented in our first reading is extremely upset. We hear God speaking of His wrath and anger to the point where He is contemplating consuming His stiff-necked, rebellious people. Moses intervenes, reminding the Lord of His promises. God backs off and relents in His punishment.

What a contrast with this image of God to the one given in the parables of today's Gospel. Here again there is talk of sin, lostness, and rebellion. But, amazing grace indeed, the parables are filled with joy, the joy that what was lost is found, and the joy that grace triumphs over sin. Here is a God who yearns for the return of the sinner and will do anything to achieve that reconciliation.

St. Paul helps us to contemplate the mystery of God and to come up with an image and understanding of God as revealed in Christ Jesus. First of all, St. Paul admits his sinfulness and unworthiness. He identifies himself as a blasphemer, a persecutor, and the foremost of sinners (St. Paul cannot shed his "arrogance" by being first even in this category). St. Paul is clear and convincing: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." Here is a God of mercy and love. Here is a God become man for the salvation of the world. As we pray in the Gospel refrain: "God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ / and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."

Our image of God in the Western Church has stressed powerful God as Father/Creator and God as Son/Redeemer. Less stress has been placed on God the Holy Spirit, the One who sanctifies the world and brings creation and redemption to completion. We need to appreciate more deeply how the Holy Spirit enlightens us to see, enkindles us to love, and empowers us to do the divine will.

In our responsorial psalm (Ps. 51), we are given attributes of God that can strengthen and deepen our faith life. The psalmist presents God as a God of great compassion wiping out our offenses; a God who creates clean hearts and renews us with a steadfast spirit; a God who opens our lips to sing the divine praises; a God who spurns us not. Here is a God that instills in us hope and courage.

Thinking about God and trying to understand the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation are important endeavors. Even more important is to attempt to live God's life, a life of love and mercy. It is through participation in the divine life that our knowledge takes on authenticity.

(Bp. Morneau is the auxiliary bishop of the Green Bay Diocese and pastor of Resurrection Parish in Allouez.)