How does God reveal his glory to us? In his
Last Supper discourse Jesus speaks of his glory and the glory of his Father.
What is this glory? It is the cross which Jesus speaks of here. The cross of
Jesus shows us that the greatest glory in life is the glory of willingly
sacrificing one's life for the sake of another. In the cross God reveals the
breadth of his great love for sinners and the power of redemption which cancels
the debt of sin and reverses the curse of our condemnation. Jesus gave his
Father supreme honor and glory through his obedience and willingness to
sacrifice his life on the cross. The greatest trust one can give to their
commander is the willingness to obey in the line of duty, even to the point of
putting oneself in harm's way. In warfare the greatest honor belongs not to
those who survive but to those who give the supreme sacrifice of their lives.
Jesus also speaks of the Father bringing glory to the Son through the great
mystery of the Incarnation and Cross of Christ. God the Father gave us his only
begotten Son for our sake, to redeem us from slavery to sin and death. He
freely offered his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins and the sins of
the world.
There is no greater proof of God's love for
us than the Cross of Jesus Christ. In the cross we see a new way of love – a
love that is unselfish and selflessly oriented to serving others for their
good, and a sacrificial love that is forgiving, compassionate, and merciful
beyond comprehension. Jesus commands us, his disciples, to love one another
just as he has loved us. How can we love our neighbor selflessly,
sacrificially, and with compassion? Through the victory of the cross and resurrection
of Jesus Christ, we now have full access to God's unlimited mercy, grace, and power
to love and forgive even those who cause us grief and suffering. God gives us
new abundant life in his Holy Spirit and he fills our hearts with the
supernatural gifts of faith, hope, and love. Paul the Apostle reminds us that
"God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which
has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). As we turn to God with trust and
obedience, he transforms our hearts and frees us from our hurts and prejudices
so that we can freely choose to love others with compassion, kindness, and
mercy. The Lord Jesus has set us free from slavery to fear, sin, and prejudice.
We are now free to choose for his way of love and holiness. Do you seek to bring glory to God in the
way you love and treat others?
Another
word about my journey:
I am still recuperating
from my first surgery, hoping to graduate from my walker to a cane this week. I
am preparing for my second surgery which has now been scheduled for May 6th,
Again, I continue to receive so many cards and good wishes and I thank you for
all your support and concern.
Fr.
Phil
