Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came
to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus
hid and went out of the temple area. John 8:58–59
When Moses encountered God in the burning bush, God revealed His
name: I AM. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches
that this revelation of God’s name “is at once a name revealed
and something like the refusal of a name.” It expresses that God is
“infinitely above everything that we can understand or say.” He is
the “hidden God.” He is also a “God who makes himself close to men”
at each and every moment of our lives (See CCC #206).
In our Gospel today, Jesus identifies Himself with this hidden God.
He states that He alone knows His Father and that the Father
glorifies Him because He is the great I AM. To the people of that
time, this was a shocking revelation, at least to those who failed
to comprehend this truth in faith. But that mysterious name reveals
to us not only the essence of God, it also reveals how we ought to
relate to this infinite, hidden, exalted and glorious God.
As Jesus revealed His identity, He did not say, “before Abraham
came to be, I was.” He says, “I AM.” This reveals that Jesus not
only existed before Abraham, but that His existence transcends all
time. He always and everywhere IS. Though this might seem overly
philosophical to some, it is an important concept to understand for
two important reasons. First, it gives us greater insight into God.
But, second, it reveals to us how we ought to relate to God every
day.
God is not a God of the past. He is not a God of the future. He is
a God of the present moment. If we are to enter into a relationship
with God, then we must realize that we can only encounter Him in
the present moment. He is the Here and Now, so to speak. And we
must seek Him here and now, in this present moment alone.
Sometimes we find ourselves dwelling on the past. To the extent
that our past has helped or hurt us in this present moment, we need
to address it. But the way this is done is by seeking God’s healing
grace today, allowing the past to disappear into His abundant
mercy. Other times we try to live in the future, becoming anxious
about what is to come. But God does not dwell in the future for, to
Him, all time is here and now. Therefore, we ought not to become
anxious about the future, worry about it or try to live in it now.
All we have is this present moment, and it is in this moment that
God comes to meet us. He is here, and we must meet Him here,
turning to Him and His grace today.
Reflect, today, upon this deep and mysterious revelation from our
Lord. Think about his identity as the great “I AM.” Ponder that
name. Ponder its meaning. See it as a way by which Jesus is
inviting you to encounter Him in this present moment alone. Live in
this moment. The past is gone; the future is not yet here. Live
where God exists, here and now, for that is the only place that you
will meet our Lord.
My Lord, You are the Great I Am. You transcend all time. Help me
to meet You today, to let go of the past, to look forward to the
future, and to live with You in this moment alone. As I meet You
here, dear Lord, help me to love You with all my heart. Jesus, I
trust in You.
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Featured image above: The Pharisees Question Jesus by James
Tissot, via Wikimedia Commons
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