Homily: Fourth Thursday of Lent

Fourth Thursday of Lent (Exodus 32:7-14) “Who Is God?”

If we have a piece of art, it is either one dimensional, two dimensional or three dimensional. If we have a three-dimensional work of art, it is much more lifelike. If it is a statue of a person, we can walk around that statue getting a sense of what the person looked like on every side. This is a more realistic picture.

The Dogma of the Trinity gives us a very nuanced idea of what God is like. We could say we get a rendering of our God in three dimensions. If we don’t have that type of depiction, it is hard to know what God is really like.

We have two of the three dimensions of God depicted for us in our scriptures from today’s Mass. In the first reading from the Book of Exodus we listen into a conversation between God and Moses. God is very angry at the people of Israel for making a false God (a molten calf) to worship. God wants to destroy the people, but Moses pleads for the people of Israel. In the end, God relents.

We get a sense that the God of Moses is very impatient. The God, we hear about, is an angry God who throws tantrums. What if this was the only story we ever read about God? We would probably fear God and with good reason.

But then we have the passage about Jesus in the Gospel of John. Jesus speaks about the love of God. He testifies to that love when he forgives sinful people and is patient with human weakness. His mercy seems to be boundless. We all would be very comfortable around the God who comes in the flesh, Jesus.

In the Book of Exodus, we have a rather capricious God who performs miracles to save his people on the one hand, but lashes at other times at the people he loves. Jesus came to correct a flawed image of God. The Holy Spirit clarifies what God is like even more. Thank goodness we have the three-dimensional picture of God we enjoy as Christians.

1. How would I feel about God if I only knew of the God I see in the Book of Exodus? Would I be at ease with such a God?
2. Jesus is God. Do I feel Jesus paints a multidimensional picture of God? What misconceptions does he clear up?

 Dear Parishioners,

           Hodge Construction is still refining the bids for the construction of our gathering space. You may have noticed that a lot of the schools are remodeling buildings and building new ones. Pandemic relief money has been a boom for the construction industry. Much needed infrastructure funds have been approved by lawmakers. Unfortunately, this also makes the labor market very tight. There was already a material shortage.

          The date when we will have firm numbers for the construction of our gathering space has been moved back to the 19^th of April. This should not delay construction if the bids are favorable. The building process is very complicated for obvious reasons.

          Let’s pray that Our Blessed Mother will bring peace to our troubled world.

          Fr. Mark