Thursday, January 14, 2016

Sunday Gospel Reflection, January 17, 2016: Jesus so revealed his glory...

  How is God revealed to us?  
  And how do we reveal God to one another?  

   In the Old Testament, Israel's relationship with God was often depicted in marital terms:  Israel was the spouse of God, often unfaithful, always forgiven.  The prophet Isaiah speaks of the transformation of the nation at the end of exile:  Israel shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of the Lord.  God thus reveals himself in his renewal of union with the people; Israel's role as the Bride of God is in itself a revelation of God's glory, and Israel herself manifests that glory to all the earth:  Nations shall behold your vindication, Isaiah says.  For it is in praise, as Psalm 96 states, that God's glory is made manifest, and all participate in the revelation of God at work in the world, recognizing that God is their source, and our source, at work in us as well.  Tell his glory among the nations; among the peoples his wondrous deeds, the psalmist sings.  We are thus called to make God's work explicit, called to participate in the revelation of God.

   The miracle at Cana is considered a moment of revelation as well, a revelation of God's presence in person of Jesus, of God walking among us and what his presence means for us.  It is the moment, according to John, when Jesus' disciples began to believe in him, though his mother already trusts in God's plan, and lets her faith move her forward as she tells the servers, Do whatever he tells you.  She knows that God's plan is at work, and that Jesus is at the center of it.  The miracle at Cana is the first sign that Jesus is the Messiah:  it speaks to the overabundance of heaven, the infinite love of God, the superabundance of God's love being revealed in Jesus.

   As Paul tells the Corinthians, our gifts are given to each of us for some benefit.  Our capacity to reach out to one another, to open hearts, to meet the needs of those around us is a proclamation of the glory of God.  We begin to let the glory of God be revealed in us whenever we allow God's love to dominate our lives, and thus become bearers of that life-giving love to others.  It is this revelation that we strive for, this revelation that allows our relationship with God to be re-created, ever anew.

This post is based on Fr. Pat's Scripture class.
Image source:  Wordle

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