32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
9-12 year olds
In the Gospel this Sunday, the Sadducees ask Jesus a trick question in order to prove that there is no life after death. Jesus, of course, doesn't play their game. He just shows that the question is not important, because, he says, God is
God not of the dead, but of the living
Jesus refers them to the moment when God speaks to Moses, more than 500 years before Jesus was born. Do you know that account? Moses sees a bush that is on fire, but it is not getting burnt. He is fascinated and moves closer to see what is going on. God says,
“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” - Exodus 3:6
"I AM the God of Abraham", not "I was the God of Abraham". Present tense. Now. Because, they live in God.
Moses asks for God's name, and God tells Moses,
“I AM WHO I AM.”
I AM. God is. Being itself.
In Hebrew, this name, "I AM who I AM" is written with four letters, YHWH. The name is so holy, the Jewish people never say it aloud.
The name has no vowels. If pronounced, it would be the sound of breath. Life itself.
God is life.