Two Divine Names

A month ago, Youth 2000, a Eucharistic-Centered retreat was held at St. Francis of Assisi parish in West Des Moines.

At the center of the retreat (quite literally) was Jesus in the Eucharist, in a typical yet beautifully ornate monstrance.

What was unique about this was that the monstrance was resting on top of a 6 foot platform under which were arranged many planks of wood painted white that were connected together to look like a kind of bush. Furthermore, candles were placed on the ends of the "branches" to give the effect of a kind of burning bush, like we hear Moses encountered in today's first reading where God speaks to Moses, revealing Himself and His Most Holy Name.

The two Names that God reveals to Moses tell us about Who God was, is, and always will be,

"I AM" and "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

These two divine Names reveal God is the Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Present God Whose very nature is "to exist." Yet, God is also the God of the Covenant with His People, the God who invites, establishes, and takes the initiative to make us His family, His sons and daughters and reveals Himself thereby as loving Father.

The God Moses encountered at the Burning Bush is the same God encountered at the Youth 2000 retreat at St. Francis a month ago. The God Who became flesh so that we might behold the face of God in Jesus Christ, astounding Gift and Mystery that even the likes of Moses and Elijah were not permitted to enter into during their earthly life.

Jesus' own Exodus of His Paschal Mystery is the reason he remains God-With-Us even now in His Church and in the Most Holy Eucharist. May we seek Jesus' face as did Moses and Elijah, and Peter, James, and John on the Mountain of Transfiguration and so be transfigured ourselves into the likeness of our loving Lord, Jesus Christ.

Fr. Ryan