MYSTERY
OF GOODNESS
Throughout the centuries, theologians have made an effort to go deeply into the mystery of God by examining in depth their concept of God’s nature and by expressing their conclusions in different ways of speaking. But all too often our words hide God’s mystery more than reveal it. Jesus doesn’t talk much about God. He simply offers us his experience.
Jesus calls God «Father» and he experiences God as a mystery of goodness. He lives this mystery as a good Presence that blesses our life and draws us, God’s sons and daughters, to fight against anything that destroys humanity. For Jesus, this ultimate mystery of reality that we believers call «God» is a close and loving Presence that is opening a path in the world in order to construct, with us and beside us, a more human life.
Jesus never separates this Father from the Father’s project of transforming the world. He isn’t able to think of God as someone enclosed in an unfathomable mystery, with back turned on the suffering of God’s sons and daughters. That’s why he asks his followers to open themselves to the mystery of this God, to believe in the Good News of God’s project, to unite ourselves to God in order to work for a more just and happy world for everyone, and to seek always that God’s justice, God’s truth, God’s peace reign more and more in our world.
Furthermore, Jesus experiences himself as «Son» of this God, born to promote here on earth the humanizing project of the Father and to bring it to definitive fullness that is even beyond death. That is why he seeks at all times what the Father wants. His faithfulness to God leads him to seek always the good of God’s sons and daughters. His passion for God translates itself into compassion for all who suffer.
Therefore, Jesus’ whole existence as Son of God consists in bringing healing to life and alleviating suffering, defending victims and demanding justice for them, sowing deeds of goodness and offering everyone the gratuitous mercy and forgiveness of God: the salvation that comes from the Father.
Lastly, Jesus acts at all times driven by the «Spirit» of God. It’s the Father’s love that sends him to announce to the poor the Good News of God’s saving project. It is the breath of God that moves him to bring healing to life. It is his saving power that manifests itself in every prophetic path.
This Spirit won’t be extinguished in our world when Jesus is gone. He himself promised this to his disciples. The power of the Spirit will make them witnesses of Jesus the Son of God, and co-workers in the saving project of the Father. This is the concrete way we Christians live out the mystery of the Trinity.
José Antonio Pagola
Translator: Fr. Jay VonHandorf
