May 18, 2019
For full passage click: John 13:31-33 …“When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.’” vs. 31
Typically, the word “glorified” is used to describe something that has been elevated beyond its natural state. To achieve glory, to be honored and acclaimed in the sight of our peers, and is something that many of us seek. John tells us that Jesus was glorified by God and that God was glorified in him, and we’re not surprised. Jesus was a pretty spectacular fellow. But what does surprise is that the moment of glorification is Judas’ betrayal! It’s not what we would expect, but it’s exactly how God operates. One of the two great truths of human existence is that we are drawn closer to God and to one another, not in times of triumph or success, but in the moments of pain and suffering. In rejection and betrayal, in sickness and in death, our individual achievements and reasons for boasting melt away and we find our consolation in the hugs that come from the compassionate presence of Christ, as channeled through our friends and neighbors. In that vulnerable state, we discover the second great truth, the unconditional love that binds us together as one community of faith. Through our suffering and our loving, we are drawn into the glorified presence of God where, we too, are glorified together with Jesus and all the saints.
Thought for the Day: Why do the benefits of suffering go unappreciated?
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