I AM; I am not

The Mass today at 3:00 was so overwhelmingly beautiful. Part of the Gospel reading from John reminded me of a passage in Exodus.  I so look forward to the better wording of the Creed -  "consubstantial with The Father." 

Just as God told Moses in Exodus 3:13-14 --

13 ". . . . said Moses to God, "when I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' if they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?" 

              14 God replied, "I am who am." 

And, from the book of John:

''Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, went out and said to them, 'Whom are you looking for?'  They answered him, 'Jesus the Nazarene.'
He said to them, 'I AM.' . . . .  When He said to them, 'I AM,' they turned away and fell to the ground.''

Jesus' bold use of the divine name I AM knocks over the arresting party! 
 

Prayer: Jesus, the great I AM . . . . I praise you and ask you to give me the courage, Lord Jesus, to be true to You in every situation.

In the Passion narrative, John also sets up a contrast between Jesus and the impetuous Peter. 

Jesus is well aware of who He is: the Son of God.

But boldness fails impetuous Peter, who engages in swordplay in the garden, only to later quaver in the courtyard and answer the question whether he is a disciple, ''I am not.''

Prayer: Give me the courage, Lord Jesus, to be true to You in every situation.

Content Source: Our Sunday Visitor

Graphic Source: above- Meditation on the Crucifixion by Mimi Ess @ A Concord Pastor Comments 

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