The glory of God and the
resurrected Christ
"Now
to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3: 20-21
Sometimes
we go through life as if we – and not Christ – are the centre of the universe
forgetting that the smallest microscopical bacteria can lay us on our backs
more effectively than a toughest boxer.
At other times, when we are able to notice that the same universe around
us now seems to be conspiring to come to our aid and supporting all our
efforts, we forget Who is really behind that same universe! When we are able to do that, in the full
realization that our reliance on Him who matters is the start of our rebirth in
Him, then there is nothing left for us to do except praise God!
St. Josemaria Escriva wrote: “It is impossible to live
according to the heart of Jesus Christ…. without the clear realisation that we
ourselves need to trust in the mercy of God more and more every day. As a
result, we will foster in ourselves a vehement desire to live as co-redeemers
with Christ, to save all souls with Him"
The other
day I read a reflection in which it said that while we undoubtedly may too
often dream of doing great things for God and His Kingdom, the dreams aren't as
big as God's plans. While we may be richly talented, influential,
powerful, or rich, these are merely tools in God's hands, not symbols of our
sufficiency.
What
motivates us to do what we do? What drives us to accomplish, to achieve,
and to pursue even more? St Paul said that love was his compelling force.
What would happen in our lives if love was truly THE compelling factor in
our motivation and behaviour? What if our desire to love those who do not
know Jesus' saving grace became our all-consuming concern? He died so
that it would be so!
God knows
more than we do; and, since he is a Father who loves us unreservedly, He is
always providing us with those things we stand in real need of. Moreover, he
anticipates our requests, for - according to St Pius V
Catechism – “he responds to the inner, hidden desires
of the needy, not waiting for them to make explicit requests"
"God
is able" has to be one of the best and most accurate phrases in the Bible.
But this time, it's said about His work in you, in me. He is able
to do much more than we imagine to work through and in us when we allow Him. He
went to the greatest of lengths to do this….by giving His own life so ours can
be saved.
St Francis de Sales asks: "What follows from this?
I seem to hear the voice of the Apostle like a peal of thunder startling
our heart: It is easy to see, Christians, what Christ desired by dying for us.
What did He desire but that we should become like Him? ‘…that
those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for
them and was raised again.’ How powerful a consequence is
this in the matter of love! Jesus Christ died for us; by His death He has
given us life; we only live because He died; He died for us, by us, and in us;
our life then is no longer ours, but belongs to Him who has purchased it for us
by His death: we are therefore no more to live to ourselves but to Him; not in
ourselves but in Him; nor for ourselves but for Him".
- What
can we say to that but Hallelujah?
John17:
22-23
“The glory that You
have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in
them and You in me, that they may become completely one….”
