We will now place our attention upon the first person of the Blessed Trinity, God the
Father. To understand truly who God is, we must look at the Bible, the love story
between God and man. This is a story not so much about us coming to God as it is about
our Loving God who is always trying to come closer to us. He desires the best for us in
everything. Our God is not a God who remains away from his people or out of the
human picture, rather at : "every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He
calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together
all men, scattered and divided by sin into the unity of his family, the Church." (Catechism
of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1)
The very fact that God would make us, in His image, and give us everything we could
ever need is a great testament to his love. This is truly what happened when He made our
first parents in his image and likeness, and gave them the garden, which represents a state
of special blessedness. Our first parents had greater union with God than
anything we can brag about, for in the beginning they were free from original sin and
totally united to God. But, unfortunately, this was lost in the first sin which divided us
from God and sent us away from the Garden, and separated us from God's life "When he
expelled the man....He put a revolving sword to guard the tree of life." (Gen. 3:24) The creation speaks of a God would gave everything for His people, asking little in return. Yet, we couldn't give
even that little bit that God asked.
God's next major intervention in humanity occurs in His promise to Noah and the great
Flood. God never gave up on man, although we turned from Him. In order to return
order and justice to the world, from men whose hearts became "wicked", he sent the
flood.
Many would see this story as a myth about a whinny vengeful God. It is so much more!
God not only destroys the wicked, he saves the remnant who is faithful to him. Because
Noah and his family showed favor with the Lord, they are not destroyed but warned to
build an ark and escape harm. After the flood, God reaffirms his Love and fidelity by
promising: "I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily
creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood." (Gen. 9:11) In God justice and love are
never separate. Often, what seems to be stern justice is actualy merciful Love - He desires
only what's best for us. (What any father would want) Thus: "God treats you like sons. For
what son is there whom his father does not discipline" (Heb. 12:7)
God's fidelity is emphasizes by his promise to Abraham. God makes to Abraham, one
of the most ridiculous and unbelievable promises of all. He tells Abraham that He, and
his wife both very old are to leave his home, travel to a new land, and they will be
parents of more decedents than stars in the sky. Sarah herself even laughed at this
promise "Now that I am so withered and my husband is so old am I still to have sexual
pleasure?" (Gen 18:12) Yet none the less, God fulfills his promise, for Abraham had
faith and God "credited it to him as righteousness." (Gen 15: 6) By promising Abraham
that he would bear a son, God shows humanity that he can and will do anything for his
people. God has a plan for his people. Abraham is just the beginning of salvation
history. ( Read the story of Abraham in Genesis 12:1 - 22:19) His family, numerous as
the stars, is a prefigurement of the Church, the people of faith.
God's Power is reveled in the burning bush and the Exodus. An important act, for all
humanity is when God reveals His name: "I am who I am". Taken literally, this statement
means "I exist who exists". This not only shows that our God is a powerful, eternal and
awesome God whose existense is depentant on no one, but that He is personal. He is
both an "I" and a "Who". This means God has a personality (Three to be exact), will and
desire. He is not a force, or distant being, but a personal God who wants to have a
relationship with each of His people. He truly is: "The God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob" (Ex. 3:6) His concern was with his people and their salvation. It is thus that he
saves them from their slavery to the Egyptians.
The Exodus, is the greatest act in salvation history, before the Incarnation. In saving
the Israelites from their slavery He reveals not only His Power, but His desire to call an
entire nation, a group of people, into belonging totally and completely to Him. The act of
God saving the Israelites is an awesome and great epic - a powerful love story.
God's mercy can only be caused by his justice. If he were not just in punishing the
Egyptians,(who, by the way, were given more that sufficient warning to change thier ways)
He could never have been merciful in freeing the Israelites. And by punishing
them, He shows that He will do anything for His people, even allow the deaths of other men
whom He created in his image and likeness with dignity beyond belief.
After leaving Egypt, God leads his people through the cloud and fire. This shows God's
eternal plan for his people and the fact He wants to help them. He not only leads them
but feeds them in the desert with manna from heaven. The manna is an obvious
prefigurement of the Eucharist, the true bread from Heaven. The Law and the Ten
Commandments, although unable to conquer sin, show God's desire to guide his people
as He shows them what He desires them to do and what he does not want. This Calls
them to a relationship with Him. One that was special, for they were truly his chosen
people. Finally, the ritual sacrifices of animals are giving as examples of the sacrifice we
are to make of ourselves to Him. They prefigure the perfect sacrifice of Christ to His
father which is perfect merit for all our sins.
God continued to reveal himself in the prophets: both his justice and his mercy. He is
constantly quick to punish his people for their mistakes, but even more quick to forgive
and call his people to return to him. He has not and will not give up on His people. He
also promises to send His messiah to be the wonderful saviour of the world. He will be a
humble servant, He will "take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offences"
(Is. 53:12)
In order for us to truly understand God, God sent us the Word "who was with God from
the beginning" It is true that "No one knows the Father but the son, and whomever the
son reveals Him too". In order for us to truly know Him, God came among us to teach us
truly who He was. Yet He did not just do this. God did what He would not allow
Abraham to do. He sacrificed His very Son for our salvation. What awesome love must
our God have for us to give so greatly of Himself.
God's reputation as a Father, although prefigured in the New Testament, comes mostly
from the revelation of Christ. Jesus called God Father, and told us to do the same. We
should ask ourselves who are that we could call God "Father". Evidently Christ would
not tell us God was a Father, unless He really was. Athough Fatherhood cannot be implied
to God is the same sense that it is applied to men, for that would be a limitation, it still can be truly predicated of Him. And we can only come to full understanding of what this means by studying the teachings of Christ himself.
God reveals God's mercy as a Father, by the story of the Prodigal Son. This story
shows that no matter How far we turn away from Him, no matter how much we sin, He
loves us and will always welcome us back. Not only does He welcome us, but He
celebrates in great joy over one repentant sinner (see Luke 10: 11-32)
The story of the wages shows that God is generous and will reward all of us for
doing His will, even if we are in a sense late comers (see Mt. 20:1-16) The story
of the Unforgiving Servant shows How God wants us to imitate His love and become like
Him. Forgiving others debts as He forgives us(see Mt. 18:21-35) The story of the
Vineyard shows How God is immeasurably generous and patient in sending His word to
us, no matter how many prophets we kill.(see Mt 21:33-46)
Christ's Father is our Father, a God of firm justice and immeasurable mercy. Our God
has the both the gentleness and firmness of a stern and joyful Father who desires only the
best for His children. And it doesn't matter what we do, He always calls us back to His
arms of passionate love. He wants us to be His children and join His family the church,
to share with all His sons and daughters in the awesome mysteries of His love. Our God
is not distant He is alive and living among us as OUR FATHER!
WHAT AN AWESOME GOD WE HAVE!!!
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