For any son who adores and loves his father, one of the greatest compliments he can receive is “You are like your dad”, “You look like your dad”, “You talk like your dad”, “You have mannerisms like your dad,” or “I am reminded of your dad when I see you.”

Since time immemorial, the Jews wanted to see God. That is why in the Gospel, Jesus tells the people: “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” In other words, God in the old testament is the same as God in the new testament in three of the many ways:

1. Faithfulness – Yahweh is faithful. When Adam and Eve sinned, the very first promise is the Messiah. God never forgot his promise. Likewise, Jesus was faithful to the will of the Father. He would always say, “My Father’s will and not my will.”
   
2. Generosity – The Jews were in the desert for forty years and God always provided for their needs. By comparison, Jesus feeds thousands in the desert because his heart was moved with pity.
   
3. Love. Many times Israel was punished when it went astray. Jesus also gets mad when we do not bear fruit, only because we are far from God.

One thing we can always bear in mind is that God will always be with us. He will never abandon us. In a reading from the prophet Isaiah, he was assuring Israel that amidst all the difficulty, God will not abandon Israel – “Can a mother forget her infant?”

Today’s times are no different. There is so much uncertainty, but remember that God is faithful. He will provide and His ways are different from ours, but that is the most loving way. That is why always hold on to the psalm that we pray: “The Lord is gracious and merciful.”