i am who am and who i am
“Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” —John 8:53
Lent is an opportunity to discover who we are in Christ. As a result of this Lent, we should be able to answer the question, “Who am I?” First, we must meet I AM WHO AM before we know who we are. That’s how Abraham knew he was to be the father of many nations (Gn 17:5). He first met Yahweh, the great I AM (Gn 15:7). Likewise, Moses realized his identity after meeting I AM in the burning bush (Ex 3:14).
Jesus said, “You will surely die in your sins unless you come to believe that I AM” (Jn 8:24). “When you lift up the Son of Man, you will come to realize that I AM” (Jn 8:28). “I solemnly declare it: before Abraham came to be, I AM” (Jn 8:58).
We can either bow down before the Lord in worship, forget about ourselves, and paradoxically find ourselves; or we can focus on ourselves and lose ourselves (Lk 9:24). Who we are is always found in I AM WHO AM.
Prayer: Lord, may I fall on my knees at this moment to worship You, the great I AM.
Promise: “I solemnly assure you, if a man is true to My word he shall never see death.” —Jn 8:51
Praise: St. John Baptist de la Salle founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The institute focused on educating the poor and today it has a worldwide reach. In 1950, Pope Pius XII named St. John patron of schoolteachers for his efforts in upgrading school instruction.
Reference: (For more teachings by the great I AM, read the Bible daily. For encouragement, listen to, download or order Ignorance of Scriptures is Ignorance of Christ, on CD 82-1 or DVD 82, or How to Pray the Bible, on CD 82-3 or DVD 82 on our website.)
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The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.