To learn about a person, we examine what they do. What a person does – their behaviors and choices – reveal their priorities. Are they giving? Loving?  Selfish? Narcissistic? 

The same is true for God – we can get a sense of who He is by looking at the Scriptures, the teachings of the Church, and His interaction with humanity throughout the ages. 

In the Hebrew Scriptures, which we call the Old Testament, one of the most evident qualities of God is called hesed, which loosely translates to “loving mercy.” God extends His loving mercy countless times and in countless ways.  From the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to the struggles of the people of Israel, God extends His loving mercy to humanity. 

This does not mean that sinful or faithless actions do not have consequences. Rather it means that, despite these consequences, God has an everlasting love for humanity which brings forgiveness. 

From the Book of Genesis forward, God promised that He would send humanity a Savior to make up for all our sins. The coming of Jesus is the pinnacle of God’s actions of love, since He is God Himself, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, who assumed a human nature and took upon Himself the consequences of all human sin. His death restores humanity to a right relationship with God. It offers us the opportunity to spend eternity with Him. 

This week, let us consider how the Scriptures are one way for us to know God. We can make time to read and meditate upon them – He is indeed a loving Father whose love can overcome even the worst sin.