What is God's Name: Reflections on the 'Faces' of God

Jesus told a great story about a man building a house. (Mt. 7:24-28) As usual he was referring to something more, namely, the foundation of our life. This story has become memorable to me, having lived the hurricane/cyclone seasons in Haiti where one cyclone can make it look like a house was never there at all.

The wise man built his house on a rock. When the rains fell and the floods came and winds blew and beat upon the house, it stood firm because it was built on rock. The foolish man built on the sand (and people do that because they have no other place) so when the cyclone came, the house fell and was swept away by the raging waters. Jesus said if we listen to his words and live them we are like the first man; but if we hear his words and do not act on them we are like the second man.

Jesus was taken with the image of the rock. You recall that he changed in solemn fashion the name of the one who was to be the leader of his apostles: from Simon to Peter- the Rock. Jesus himself is referred to at least ten times as the Stone set down by God, rejected by the builders, who became the Cornerstone of God's building. (See Acts 4:11)

There are many words associated with "rock" especially in the Psalms: my refuge, my stronghold, my fortress, and my hiding place. Another favourite is in Ps.71: "Be to me my God a protector and a place of strength ... for you are my firmament." Having been brought up on Protestant hymns at school, ‘Rock of Ages’ still resonates with me.

We need the Rock to stand firm and a Cornerstone to build on. We need a divine stronghold of faith and a helmet of salvation and the Spirit of the Gospel to fortify our witness unto death. We have such a Rock.

By Mary Alban Bouchard CSJ
Photo by Betty Lou Knox CSJ