Introduction to the Liturgy of the Day

Introduction to the Liturgy of the Word

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

Reflection

• When God comes down from the heavens and speaks to Moses, putting words to the divine essence, those words are not words describing unparalleled qualities like “omnipotent,” “all-knowing,” or “almighty,” though any of those words would be correct. But they would be inadequate. Instead, the words God uses are relational: “merciful,” “gracious,” “slow to anger,” “rich in kindness and fidelity” (Exodus 34:6). God is a relational being. Moses would not have realized it at the time, but even then God was not relational only with all creation, but also with the Son and the Holy Spirit. God has always been in relationship, for God has always been three persons in one God.

• The mystery of the Trinity is a mystery we cannot hope to truly penetrate with our limited human intelligence and from our limited human perspective. But this makes perfect sense. A God who can be fully explained is a God who is less than our intelligence.

• Throughout the Old Testament God forgives the Chosen People for their unfaithfulness, for the many times they turn away from God, for their sinfulness. Jesus personifies that infinite mercy, given by God to us in two ways. The Son was given to us in the Incarnation, sharing in our humanity, and he was also given over to death on the cross, redeeming us from our sinfulness. Our God is a forgiving God. We again see this in the New Testament, in the way that Jesus treats sinners in the Gospels, leading to his willingness to sacrifice his life for sinners. His forgiveness is not distant or impersonal. He gets to know sinners intimately, which leads to him loving them more deeply, which leads to forgiveness that is true and real. We would do well to strive to do the same.

Question of the Week