One of the great priests of our diocese is Joseph Parrick Brennan (1929-2008), scripture scholar, interfaith pioneer, seminary rector, friend. What follows is an edited version of a homily he gave at St. Mary’s Church, Rochester, on Feb. 26, 1989, for the third Sunday of Lent, C cycle.. It is as relevant for our chaotic time as it was then. Savor the depth of the man who spoke God’s Word ardently.
Do you ever find yourself intrigued with names? When you are driving along and see strange street names like Fitzhugh or Clarissa? Or towns like Henrietta, Chili or Greece? Who named them? And why? And people’s names are even more intriguing. When I was growing up, lots of members of my family had patriotic names, but one of my older cousins had the initial M. in her name which she never would explain, until one day it slipped out that she was born at the time when the US had won a decisive battle in the Spanish American War, so her parents called her Manila. Some young friends of mine had a baby girl not long ago. When I asked them what they were going to call her, they said. “We aren’t sure. We don’t know her well enough yet.”
Moses was curious about names, and especially God’s name. In today’s first reading, Moses says to God “If they ask me what your name is, what am I to tell them?” After all, if he was to work for God, it would be useful to know his name. But God was evasive in his answer. God says, "Tell them I AM WHO AM." In other words, you and they already know who I am from your own experience. You know what I have done in the past, for Abraham and Sara, for Isaac and Rebecca, for Jacob and his family, and you know what I will do for you and your people. I AM ALL THESE THINGS AND MORE, AND YOU CAN’T REALLY PUT A LABEL ON ME OR GIVE ME A NAME EXCEPT PERHAPS TO SIMPLY SAY THAT I AM WHAT I AM/WHO I AM.
Names can be intriguing and useful and even essential sometimes, but in the last analysis, we get to know people by how they act, what they do, what sort of lives they lead, how they treat the people around them, what their interests and priorities are. We are what we are, and our name doesn’t really change that, does it?
And if that is true, then we can learn a lot about God from today’s first reading. God tells Moses: "I HAVE SEEN THE AFFLICTION OF MY PEOPLE. I HAVE HEARD THEIR CRY. I KNOW THEIR SUFFERINGS, AND I AM COMING DOWN TO DELIVER THEM." God is moved by human suffering, appalled by it, a God who sets himself in opposition to it, and a God who comes down to do something about it. He is a God who sides with all who suffer, whether it is the suffering of the hospital patient or the battered wife or neglected child, or the elderly person who can’t make ends meet on a fixed income or the homeless who wander our wintry streets and sleep where they can find a bit of shelter. He is the God who takes the side of those who, like the Israelites in Egypt, suffer from political, social and economic oppression, whether it’s in Eastern Europe, or our own country….
The only way God can deliver, that he can help, is by stirring us up out of our apathy and indifference, until we are compelled to share His divine compassion and love, and to share in His work of healing and deliverance.
Most of us are probably inclined to react as Moses did and say "WHO AM I, LORD? SEND SOMEONE ELSE."
Today’s reading from Exodus is central to our understanding of God and ourselves, because it shows us a God who cares, and asks us whether we care. A God who says, "I AM WITH YOU." in the same breath God says: "I SEND YOU."
The big question put to us by this reading is: Will I, like Moses, accept the call and go where I am sent?
~ Sister Joan Sobala