The Path to Glory
Opening Prayer
Lord God, show me more of the wisdom of Your Word today. I present myself before You.
Read John 12:27-36
[27] “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. [28] Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” [29] The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. [30] Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. [31] Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. [32] And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” [33] He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. [34] The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” [35] Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. [36] Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What did Jesus say that so perplexed and troubled the crowd?In yesterday’s reading Jesus declared, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (12:23). Now Jesus refers to this “hour” with trepidation (27), and we glimpse a soul-struggle that foreshadows the agony in the Garden. From a purely human standpoint, Jesus longs to be “saved” from his hour (27); nevertheless, he remains deeply committed to the Father’s will: “No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour” (27b). Jesus redefines glory. It is not self-glory; rather, Jesus says, “Father, glorify your name!” (28). It is glory devoid of glamour–nothing like the glory of the star that shone at the incarnation, the majestic voice that thundered forth at the baptism, or the shining radiance of the transfiguration. Jesus proclaimed, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (32). This “lifting up” will not be upon a throne; this time, glory will take the gory shape of a Roman cross. War is never a pretty sight. The spiritual battle against Satan is difficult, painful, gory…yet necessary to bring about the decisive defeat of evil, which leads to the fullness and the permanence of glory.
Apply
Write down words that come to your mind when you hear the word “glory.” Pray for help to move from self-glory to glorifying God.
Closing prayer
Father, renew my faith. Grant me Your enabling grace to stay away from idolatry and to remain fixed on You.
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