glory

Haggai 1:1-8; Psalm 149 The Lord takes delight in his people; Luke 9:7-9

In the first reading God commands the prophet to tell the people, "consider your ways! Go up into the hill country; bring timber, and build the house that I may take pleasure in it and receive my glory, says the Lord."

God wants to receive his glory.

St. Irenaeus tells us that the "glory of God is man alive; man alive is the vision of God."

Glory of God consist of the devotion and praise of his creation.  Both of these are untied in worship of the human heart before God.

In building the house the people begin living a life of devotion and praise to God.  They are building that space which is set apart to bring about devotion and praise.  A space that will invoke memories of God's deeds, memories that bring forth a life of thanksgiving. They are building that space that will bring forth communion with God.  In the temple through the sacrifice God communicates is goodness, his desire for reconciliation, his acceptance of man's offering.  Thus, God receives his glory.

Only when God receives his glory from man in true worship, does man become glorified by God.

This of course is realized most perfectly in the Eucharist, the true worship, where we are invited to enter into true communion with God.  In the eucharist, we worship fully, we give devotion and praise, we enter into the thanksgiving of Christ to the Father and God receives his glory.

As we pray in the Eucharist, "May we praise you in union with them, and give you glory through your son, Jesus Christ.  Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen."

John Vianney when he came to Ars, he made it is his work to restore the church building.  It was falling down and in ruins.  He replaced the altar, he painted the wood, he brought in new decor and new vestments.  The house of God needed to be that special place that moved the faithful to devotion and praise. 

He wanted to give the people a space they could truly enter into and keep the Lord's day. Sanctification of the Lord's days was essential for without there was no christian life. 

In that sacred space not only would the people gather to worship so that God would receive his glory.  Also, John Vianney would spend countless hours prostrating in prayer for the conversion of his parish.  He would pray and fast so that their hearts would be burst asunder and they would return to God and God's glory would be returned to Him.

We too should pray for the conversion of our parishes that hearts would return so that God would receive his glory. 

quote of the day

"One communion acts on the soul like bellows on a fire which has begun to go out, but where there are yet plenty of embers; w blow, and the hearth is lit up...when you have received our Lord, you feel your soul purified, bathed in the love of God."  St. John Vianney