Fifth Sunday of Easter_C - Glory Days_051522

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Glory Days”

Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C

Today’s gospel has all the makings of a great Hollywood movie that begins on the night before Jesus dies. Jesus and his companions are nearing the end of their last meal together. Judas had just taken “the morsel… and left at once.” “The morsel,” we know, is the Eucharist, Jesus’ legacy to remain a “real presence” for his followers. Judas takes the Eucharist…then leaves.

When Judas leaves, Jesus brings this extraordinary Passover celebration to a dramatic close saying, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.” What intrigue! Jesus seems to infer that what’s about to happen, his betrayal, torture, and death, will somehow bring Glory to God! How unimaginable! Yet for God, all things are possible, even turning these horrific events into something that can and does reveal God’s glory!

How much our faith depends on this Truth, that “…with God, all things are possible.” That includes the fact that God took upon himself our human nature and all of our limitations and experiences to teach us how we might become like him in all ways. Jesus suffers the betrayal of a friend, gets convicted on trumped up charges, suffers beatings and humiliations of all sorts that no one, let alone he deserves. Imagine, he knows all of this ahead of time and still chooses his suffering and death to teach us to love and forgive one another. And, because he sees what lies ahead as God’s Will, he accepts it all. In fact, he embraces it all knowing that doing God’s Will was all he desired to do in this life.

Jesus leaves his followers with a “Command,” not a request, not a “can you do me a favor... but a “Command” ... to “Love one another as I have loved you.” He sets our hearts and minds on God’s Will…. that we love one another as he loves us…. completely. Christ held nothing back. He emptied himself on our account…. That’s the standard he set, if we are to be disciples…. to embrace the disappointments, betrayals, broken promises and relationships, sickness and death…to take it all in, the good and the bad, and accept all that comes our way as Christ did, and to do so while remaining faithful to God’s promises that he is with us always, till the end of days. And yes, he sustains us through each and every one of them, through all the glory days of our lives... this one and the one to come.

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Recommended Reading: The Saint's Guide to Happiness by Robert Ellsberg - suggests that some of the best people to show us are holy men and women throughout history—Learn who they are and the lessons they teach us.

Recommended Podcast: American Catholic History Podcast finds hidden gems and compelling stories in Catholic Americans who have contributed to America by virtue of their faith over the past three centuries.