Names for God

It is said that the Hindu people have a thousand names for God and that the Muslims have ninety-nine name for Allah. In Christianity, we have largely limited our names for God to Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The titles Messiah, Christ and Lord all have the same meaning, that of military leader/commander in chief.

In their minds, the disciples had named Jesus, Messiah. The problem was that their understanding of that name was quite different from how Jesus understood his work. When he tried to explain clearly that this meant he would be killed if he continued, his followers did not want to hear. They were even more reluctant to hear that he wanted them to be willing to follow the same path.

The name that Jesus gave to himself, son of man, the church has written with capital letters as with Son of God. But this may not have been Jesus’ use of the term. At the time it was a common way people referred to themselves.

The question comes for us today, which stage of development are we at in our lives of faith as individuals and as congregations. Is our name the most important thing? Are we clinging to who we are because we are not yet certain of who we are for God? Have we just moved far enough into the second stage to be critical of others while not being secure enough to face all of who we are? Are we willing to die to all that we think we are and think we know for sure to grow into the wisdom of the mystery of God who is beyond all names and follow the wisdom of Jesus’ teaching?

Rev Julianne Parker

(for full sermon see sermons page)

The Muslim mystic, Rabl’a said, “To love God, not because of powerful institutions, or even because God commands it, but to do so in an act of unencumbered freedom, is the very source of mystical relationship.”

There is a gulf between theology [rational knowledge of God] and mysticism [experience of God]. Another Muslim mystic and martyr  from the 10ce[922ce] called Mansur al-Hallaj taught passionate, overflowing love as the heart of the divine being instead of blind imitation and obedience. Such love is the mystery of creation. He said, “Whoever seeks God runs ahead of God’s revelations, but whomever God seeks has revelations overtaking his running.” This is what God does for children and explains their experiences of God.

John of the Cross wrote that God does not reserve the calling to contemplation to particular souls. On the contrary, God hopes all will embrace it.

We heard last week that Moses asked God to let him know God more and we heard God’s response in giving him a vision of God’s goodness. How well do we know God’s goodness? Meister Eckhart, a Christian mystic put it we have “not been created for small things.” Contemplating this is both exciting and daunting.

We are invited into a mutual relationship of love with God and then when we have been loved, we will be equipped for the sometimes enormously difficult task of loving our neighbours and ourselves.

Rev Julianne Parker

(see Sermons page for full sermon)

It would have to be a Muslim

It would have to be a Muslim.

The one who nobody in the audience liked,

or had any time for.

The one we are suspicious of,

uncertain of how she/he might fit in.

Dressed strangely,

living according to another set of rules;

whose motivations we question.

Praying in different ways,

refusing to eat our foods;

a sometimes guest

who ignores the polite conventions

we have so carefully constructed

over these past centuries.

It would have to be a Muslim,

who, when Jesus tells his story today,

about the one who took a chance

and stopped to help the wounded man,

is made into the neighbour-hero.

The Good Muslim,

who causes us all to gasp,

as she/he is offered

as love’s shining exemplar.

© Ken Rookes 2013