Tuesday of the
Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 20:17-27; John 17:1-11a)
Few scenes give more glory to a country than a cemetery
of its dead warriors. The multiple rows
of graves testify to the greatness of the land for which the men and women shed
their blood. It is a picture that transcends
sadness and fills observers with awe. In
today’s gospel Jesus speaks of giving such glory to his Father.
Jesus has labored to bring his Father’s love to the
people. He has been like a good shepherd
and a vinedresser caring for God’s people.
Now is the moment for him to give God the ultimate glory. He will die so that the people know the
extent of God’s love for them.
We need to ask ourselves to whom or what we want to give
glory. By all means, let it not be
something frivolous – a rock group or a baseball team. No, let us say that we live for the sake of
our families, our communities, or perhaps for the pursuit of knowledge. These beneficiaries can be readily aligned
with the greatest good. In the end we
should want to say with Jesus that it is God to whom we give glory.
