We are the only beings in creation who can consciously know God

Wednesday, 7/18/12

Jesus said, “No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

St. Justin was a young man of Greek heritage. By the year 110 he had so mastered the teachings of Plato and Aristotle that he was privileged to wear a philosopher’s robe. Through those Greek masters he had come to see that there could only be one God, and that he was all good. Then, wandering on a sandy shore, Justin fell in with an old Christian. The man complimented Justin on his knowing so much about God, but he pointed out what today’s reading tells us, that no one actually knows God unless his Son brings that one to know God personally.

With stories like that of the Prodigal Son Jesus prepares us to know God personally, but we ourselves must open up and say, “Please, come in.”

To actually come to know God is no small matter. Chapter Three of the Book of Daniel has sun and moon blessing the Lord, all beasts wild and tame blessing the Lord, but they bless him only in that their existence demonstrates his creative power, they can’t actually bless the Lord.

As far as I know there is nothing but us in God’s universe that can consciously know God. Everywhere you go now days you see people talking on their cell phones. Our gift of consciousness is our cell phone for contacting God any moment day or night.