Above Every Name

In today’s Gospel Lesson — Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus, we read, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son and they will call Him Immanuel, a name which means God-is-with-us” (Mt. 1:23).

The following poem, entitled “Windows of Wonder,” offers us a moving reflection on our Gospel Text. In it, the author imagines the following dialogue with the Lord God:

I was regretting the past,

and fearing the future.

Suddenly my Lord was speaking:

“My name is I AM”

He paused.

I waited.

He continued.

“When you live in the past,

with its mistakes and regrets,

it is hard. I am not there.

My name is not I WAS.

“When you live in the future,

with its problems and fears,

it is hard. I am not there.

My name is not I Will Be.

“When you live in this moment

it is not hard. I am here.

My name is I AM.” -1

In the Book of Exodus, there is…