11 February Daily Question

“Who is God”. Jumping out of the Joesph Ratzinger reading, I think that the best interpretation of who or what God is is the unity of all Being manifested in one. This interpretation is best informed by Gods role in the creation story, how he acts as the one who gives order to the swirling chaos of water. God doesn’t only bring forth creation, he brings it together as the creator, he gives names to the chaos and thus it is ordered, he creates life and gives it purpose. God is the glue that doesn’t necessarily hold the world together, but rather connects it together. When he makes a covenant with Abraham, he tells him that through his offspring, all nations will be blessed. Though this specific covenant is indeed consecrated with Abraham, God’s plan is one that encompasses the entire world, for he does not just pick one people above the other, for he is unifier of all peoples of the Earth. Some may wonder then if he is the provider of all people, why in the storyline of Moses he so plagues the Egyptians. Though the Israelites indeed do act as God’s “chosen” people throughout the Old Testament, his goodwill is never exclusive only to them. In only the previous chapters of Genesis, it is the land of Egypt which is taken by his blessing and informed of the coming famine through Joseph. When the Israelites get out of line, they too are punished as the Egyptians are punished with plagues in Exodus. God is still the provider of all people, but in the Old Testament special focus is given to the people of Israel, and they act as the catalysts for God’s grace that he wants to be spread throughout the world.