OVER ALL THINGS

Hildebert of Lavardin (1055 -1133) French priest and theologian wrote:

“God is over all things,
under all things;
outside all;
within, but not enclosed;
without, but not excluded;
above, but not raised up;
below, but not depressed;
wholly above, presiding;
wholly without, embracing;
wholly within, filling.”

Seeing God in this way sounds nice, and big and powerful. I enjoy the poetry of it. But for me it is also vague, if not mystical and unknowable. It is so much more realistic for me to think of Jesus hanging out with the twelve drinking Cuban Coffee and eating Cinnamon Rolls, sharing a jug of V-8 Juice, or sitting happily holding a child and giving encouragement for others to do the same. God in Jesus, here and among us, makes more sense to me.

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” Jesus