11 Feb

The question of “Who is God?” seems simple at first: he is a divine being, apart from humanity in his omnipotence and omniscience. This understanding is basic, but fails to capture the totality of how God interacts with man and his role in our lives. Joseph Ratzinger attempts to answer this question by tracing how humans have sought out God and their motivations for doing so. He is also heavily interested in the Biblical comprehension of God, which probably represents what many people today believe about God. For example, in Exodus, when Moses directly asks who God is, God reveals himself but in a way that has raised even more questions. His reply of “Yahweh” has led people down many paths in seeking an answer to what at first appeared to be a straightforward question. God seeks interaction with the human race which he created, or in other words, is a “personal” God. The initial definition of a divine superhuman being does not convey this aspect of Him. Another important characteristic many definitions lack is God’s inherent goodness. In human language, good is an adjective to describe something that is beneficial or pleasing. However, in somewhat different terms, God is good itself, the source of all good. He is the beginning and end of good, and through him all other goodness flows. This is why when people naturally seek things that are good for them, they are demonstrating man’s necessary and inevitable search for God. Even further, this search explains why in today’s culture it is common to see people idolize things like money, power, and pleasure as God-like figures in their life. We want God, and need him, so it is critical that we are able to understand this goal we are all reaching for if we want to be successful in our journey toward Him.