Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
The phrase “glory of the Lord” is used frequently in scripture, and I often stop and wonder what exactly these words mean. Our Responsorial Psalm proclaims “the glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.” Where is this glory and how are we called to be transformed, so we too can share this glory in our world?
Today’s first reading explains “light has shown in our hearts to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of Jesus Christ.” Not only do we see God’s glory in the face of Jesus, but when we look at him “with unveiled face” then we become “transformed into the same image.” The Responsorial Psalm and today’s gospel reveal ways you can recognize God’s glory around us- peace, kindness, truth, and justice. Jesus specifically reminds us that being righteous is important to be part of the Kingdom of God. Hatred, violence, and pride do not reflect God’s glory.
It is often said that where you look is where you go. For example, when you are driving a car and look over to see something on the side of the road, you will find yourself no longer going straight, but heading towards that object. I believe there are some parallels to this in our spiritual life. When we fix our eyes of Jesus- His life, His teachings, and a relationship with Him, we will find ourselves trending towards living a Christ- like life. Through the grace of God’s Spirit, this focus on Christ allows us to transform our hatred to compassion and violence to peace. Justice and truth become foundations for how we see the world, since we begin to see things through the eyes of Christ. When we do not “preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord”, we allow God’s glory to shine in the world through the way we live our lives.
Being transformed involves staying focused on Christ, and God provides us a community of believers, sacraments, scripture, and nature to help us find Christ all around us. There are many things that attract our attention from faith in Christ, so we are called to regularly check to see where our gaze is leading us. The more our thoughts, words, and actions reveal the image of Christ, the more we become the Face of Christ for others, so they too may know God’s glory and be transformed. Through God’s grace, let it be so!
—Marylynn Herchline