The Omnipresence of God

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Today we visited Tel Be’er Sheva, or Beersheba as it is referred to in the Bible. According to Genesis 21, Beersheba was granted its name in commemoration of a covenant made between Abraham and Abimelech regarding a dispute over a well. Isaac and Jacob (Gen 26; 46) are also associated with the well at this site; it is no wonder here at the northern tip of the Negev Desert that the patriarchs are connected with a reliable source of water. Our ancestors in the faith have created many stories, dietary practices and rituals to remind us of the omnipresence of God in our lives. In solidarity with their efforts to remind us of God’s presence in our lives, I invite us to select one of our daily routines (i.e., brushing teeth, loading the dishwasher, making coffee) to be a cue for us to pause and thank God for Her many blessings in our lives. Or if you prefer something a bit more formal, I suggest that you Google the Jesuit Daily Examen—a formalized process for reviewing your day and considering where God was present in our words and actions.

Today, I thank God for the undeserved and unexpected moment of grace as I gazed upon the vast expanse of the Negev and was overwhelmed with the grandeur of our Creator God.

--written from the coastal Israeli city of Eilat, at the tip of the Red Sea and at the corner of four nations (Israel, Jordan, Egypt & Saudi Arabia)

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Photos

Etching of pharaoh Ramses and goddess Hathor
Likely carved into the face of this rock over 3,000 years ago by Egyptian miners at this site.

Sr. Theresa and I at Timna
Timna is the location of the oldest known mine in the world. Copper ore was mined here beginning in the 5th Millennium BC.