If you belong to the generation of the Baltimore Catechism you know too well that God is described as “Almighty, powerful, detached, infinite and all-knowing.” Likewise, the current Catechism of the Catholic Church keeps the ‘high-theology’ used in the description of God. This way of talking about God definitely tells us something about God’s nature but not everything about God. Even though God possesses these attributes, God still comes down (Exod. 3:8) very often and becomes part of the experiences of those who have faith in him. This is what God did for the suffering Israelites in Egypt. God saw the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt, God heard their cry, knew their suffering and God took the bold step to rescue them (Exod. 3:7-8). Rarely is God withdrawn from the world and untouched by our experiences. It’s the total opposite in our relationship with God: God is constantly with us and is part of our journey. Do you experience God as part of your life?
Life throws all kinds of things in our path. Talking to St. Jude devotees, I listen intently to their stories of sorrow and joy; comfort and pain. One thing I take away from these stories is that when someone is going through a rough patch in life, they want to know how God can help and want to be assured that God is not untouched by their experiences. They seek God’s help, comfort and deliverance from the painful challenges that life throws in their path. They desire a personal God who will identify with their stories. And surely God does identify with our experiences. The God that was close to emotion talking to Moses through the “burning bush” about his concern for the Israelites is the same God that will stand with us through the thick and thin of life. Just as Psalm 103 which we sang at Mass this past Sunday reminds us of God’s steadfast love for the people of Israel, likewise God will act for you because God is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and full of kindness and love. This is who God is for us; the one who is always there for us when we call upon him from our heart and when we most need consolation, comfort and hope.
Undoubtedly, this is what all those who seek the intercession of St. Jude want to experience: a God so close he makes the challenges life throws in their path easy to bear. Let us continue to pray through and with St. Jude so that God will graciously come down to us and grant us his merciful love. Let us continue to pray that God will show us love, mercy and divine graciousness.
Father Ferdinand Okorie, C.M.F.
National Shrine of St. Jude
Chicago, Illinois
