3rd Sunday in Lent: God is not a Being

In today’s first reading, we hear God reveal to Moses the mystery of his identity: I AM WHO AM. Catholic tradition helps us to interpret what this means. God is not one being among many beings (like us). He is, as Aquinas taught, ipsum esse—to be itself. While beings have a competitive stance between, God, who is the sheer act of being, is not in competition with creatures but actually brings them to perfection. The burning bush is a sign of this: The fire of God’s love does not destroy us but elevates us.

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