Too much God?

Hi, all!

As a priest in the church, I use the word "God" a lot. I pray in the name of God, preach about God, and bring God up in conversations. I'm expected to talk about God, and I love to talk about God. God this, God that, God all over the place. God, God, God.

But sometimes I wonder if I don't use the word too much. Sometimes it seems like we in the church treat God as a commodity we're trying to package and promote, and maybe even sell. We use the word "God" so much it becomes commonplace and dull. Maybe we overuse the word "God."

After all, isn't God sacred and holy and mysterious? And shouldn't we be more careful in using the holy name? Orthodox Jews are careful to avoid saying God's name because it's too holy, and some people spell it G-d, just so they keep a sense of mystery and awe around the name of God.

One of the things I love about the Eucharist is that it keeps an aura of mystery around God. We chant, pray, break bread, keep silence. We enter the mystery that has no name except the name God told Moses: "I am who I am." 

That's what draws me to the Eucharist. That's what makes our Episcopal worship alive and pulsing with meaning, at least for me. I wonder if you feel the same. I hope so.

See you in G-d's house!

Bill