“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once.
The first twelve chapters of the Gospel according to Saint John are called "the book of signs." These are wonderful works, like the deliverance through the Red Sea and into the Sinai desert. But they are subtle. They are given as signs to the faithful who see and recognize them. They might be called miracles but every one of them could be explained away. Jesus might have already known the woman at the well was living in adultery after five divorces; he might have been standing on a sandbar when he walked on the water; Lazarus might not have been dead when Jesus called him out of the tomb. None was so overwhelming as to force people to believe he is the Son of God. They were signs. By God's holy spirit, the faithful know what they mean.
"The book of glory" begins in the twelfth chapter. It is a glory which, once again, only the faithful understand. And we are astonished.
The world sees only what they want to see, and they wanted to see Jesus dead, buried, and forgotten. They reveled in the sight of his death agony. They could not see the signs which Saint John presents so clearly. Like tyrannies of every age, they could not recognize the supreme irony of his crown of thorns, the mockery of the sign over his head ("Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"), or his enthronement first on the seat of judgement, and then on a cross. Not even when he was buried like a king or an emperor, with "a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about one hundred pounds" did they recognize his glory.
The faithful bow before his cross and recognize a man like us in all things but sin, The Son of God offers himself in complete and loving obedience as a sacrificial lamb to the God who is worthy of absolute trust.
Sometimes I participate in a three way conversation with two people who are speaking to one another by telephone. I can neither see nor hear the third person but I understand their conversation completely. I read the gestures and hear the words with their intonations -- that is, I read the signs -- and I laugh as they laugh, I grow concerned with their concerns, I rejoice with their joy.
As we watch the Son give himself in complete abandonment to the Father, we believe with him that God is faithful. Even his cry of despair -- Eloi, Eloi, lama sabathani -- is a prayer that must be heard.
We recognize these signs after Judas has left the room. The cynical and worldly wise cannot remain in our presence. Although our hearts are breaking as they depart, we must remain with the Lord as he gives us a new commandment. Nor will the world recognize us as the sign of God's presence. They will misconstrue our love for one another. Cynical, they see only what they want to see; they are blind to revelation and the Glory of God.
During this Easter Season the Church asks for a renewal of that Holy Spirit which guided the Lord Jesus and inspired his disciples. We want to see as clearly as they saw the Glory of God in the pleasant moments, and especially in the trying ones.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.