“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.“
Psalm 145:3-7

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JULY 30, 2024

Yesterday, we looked at the idea that God is transcendent, incomprehensible. Truly, God’s greatness is such that none of us can fathom it!

God’s transcendence is something nearly everyone agrees on. Even polytheistic cultures worshipping countless gods believed that above them all reigned one supreme deity that could not be known. The philosopher Aristotle described the universe as controlled by the unmoved mover. This unnamable force was pure transcendence, too apart and powerful even to be named or described, utterly immaterial and unknowable by the material world.

And while we would eagerly recognize both the supreme deities of polytheists and the unmoved mover of philosophers as God—yet at the same time we believe God is not like that.

We believe that while God is transcendent, He is also immanent. While we finite creatures cannot hold or grasp God in full, yet He has come near to us. He has shown Himself to us. He has made Himself known.

The Psalmist, right after extolling and praising God for His greatness that no one can fathom, begins to extol God for all the things we can fathom. God’s works are praised from one generation to the next, passed down among family stories and memories. The Psalmist describes these generations getting together to speak of God’s glorious splendor, power, awesome works, and great deeds. Throwing a celebration about God’s goodness, breaking into song about God’s righteousness. Quietly meditating on the things God has done.

The good news is that from the beginning, through creation, through Abrahm, Moses, and the prophets, in Jesus and in the Spirit and in the Church the transcendent God is drawing near, is revealing Himself to us.

God has never left us alone. With all His power and might, God has come among us, never leaving, never forsaking His creatures.

May we gather together like the generations that came before us and declare: Here and here and here is where God met us!

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • What does it mean that God is not only transcendent but also immanent?
  • How is that similar to yet different from a supreme deity or unmoved mover?
  • How has God met you, the generations that came before you, and the generations that come after you? How do you share the story?

 

Church Reading Plan: Jeremiah 26; Mark 12