road to glory

acts 14:21-27; Psalm 145 I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God; Rev 21:1-5; John 13:31-35


I am part of a book club here in town. We get together once a month and discuss a particular book we were going to read for that month. We read all kinds of books: fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, biographies, historical fiction and the list goes on.

We read the book, discuss the book, and then we vote on the book. We decided whether it was good literature or not. Was the author effective in getting the story across? Was it worth reading? Would we recommend it?

This past Monday we got together and we were to discuss two books. We did not meet in March due to Holy Week.

When I arrived, everyone was excited about the last book we were supposed to have read. They were eager and excited. I, however, had not finished the book. I informed of this fact and told them they could go ahead and discuss it anyway.

But they refused. They told me that if i knew how it ended, then it would ruin the book. Their thinking was that somehow the suspense of the book, the unknown ending, would keep be engaged. IF I knew the end then they thought I would stop reading and lose interest.

This is the case a lot of times. The suspense of the book or the movie engages us and captivates us. It keeps us reading, keeps us moving and following the plot and character developments along the way.

But here is another question: does knowing the ending really ruin the story?

I have read plenty of books when after i get to the end I go back and reread the story. What I have discovered is that the end actually enhances the story. Knowing the end doesn't ruin the story but makes it more engaging. The characters are more alive and the plot is more meaningful. Knowing the ending helps me pick up on the things I missed the first time around.

Knowing the end actually, I would say, enhances the story not ruins it.

This of course brings me to the second reading from the book of revelation.

As we read from the book of revelation we should note that we are reading from the last chapter of the last book of the bible.

We all know the beginning of the bible. Those famous words echo from ages past, "in the beginning..." We also know that the bible is comprised of many different kinds of books with different writing styles. When you read the bible you encounter drama, mystery, suspense, adventure, sex, murder, scandal, rape, pillage, conflict, battles won and battles lost. We encounter history, science, prophecy, poetry, hymns, letters, homilies and the list goes on.

What we often forget, however, is despite the many books and variety of writing styles the book is about one story. It is a love story, God's love for us. How God time and time again comes to rescues us, comes to undo what we did, and guide us on the way. God intervenes so that we might know what way to go to encounter the best of life.

It is one story and today John in the book of revelation tells us how it all ends. HE tells us the climax, how it will resolve itself this story we are all a part.

The question is, does John ruin the story by telling us the end. Does John eliminate the suspense, and thus cause us to lose interest.

The answer is no.

IT is not the character of love to keep the suspense up or to keep the beloved guessing. since the bible is a love story, it must follow the rules of love. Love demands certainty. Love seeks to eliminate suspense and guesswork though mystery always remains.

think about marriage for a second. How many husbands would marry their wives or wives would marry their husbands if before the vows the husband or wife would say that they were unsure if they could be faithful. What if they said they were not sure about tomorrow whether they would stay or leave. In most cases the bride or groom would get the boot.

Love demands certainty. And when couples say I do to each other they know how it will end: love and honor in good time and bad, sickness and health, til death do us part.

It is the certainty of the end that enables couples to truly be free to love each day anew. The end makes all the difference to the present moment.

Such it is in love with one another and love of God for us and vice verse. Keeping the end in mind makes all the difference and keeps us engaged in the present moment, fully participating in the story we are invited in through faith.

What is the end that John speaks of in today's second reading?

First John speaks of a "new heaven and a new earth."

God has a place in store for us. There will be a place of belonging for those who live a life of faith. That place of belonging, a new heaven and new earth is a transformation of the old order. God does not abandon the work of his hands. In the end creation doesn't get the boot but it gets an upgrade.

So it will be with our bodies. We will not be floating weightless ghost like beings, but we will have a glorified body and a new earth to reside.

Then John tell us the "sea will be no more."

This is fascinating. I don't swim so i am glad i won't have to worry about drowning in heaven. But the "sea" does not refer t water as we know it but is pointing to the book of genesis. In the beginning before God spoke light into being the world was a formless, chaotic watery wasteland. In the bible, the "sea" refers to death, destruction, violence and disorder.

When John speaks of the "sea no more' he is saying this new place will be a place of order: place for everything and everything in its place. There will be no destruction, death, or violence. There will be no "tears, weeping, pain, wailing, death or mourning." We won't have to worry about what will come next or hope for something better to arrive. We will be in the fullness of God, God will dwell in the human race." This is the beatific vision.

Thirdly, John speaks of a 'holy city." Many people ask me if heaven will be boring. They ask if we will simply be playing on a harp all eternity. But what John describes is a "holy city." Think about cities, houston, san antonio, Dallas and the like. Cities are a place where diversity comes alive. A city is a place where all the human powers are engaged and active.

This new heaven and new earth will be where Man if fully human and fully alive for the very first time, It will be holy, a place of no sin, no betrayal, no disappointment. A place where communication is with ease and goodness flourishes like wild fire.

Glory of God is man alive and this is what the end will be for those who are faithful

We must keep the end in mind for it will make all the difference. It will keep us engaged in life and fully immersed in the story no matter the obstacles or sufferings we encounter. The end makes it all worth while.

The road to glory is keeping the end in mind. He doesn't ruin the story but enhances our life.

Think about Paul in the first reading for today. We find him and Barnabas moving on to another city after making disciples in "that town" Acts 14:21.

But what we should read is what comes before in Acts 14:18-20. Here we see that Paul as he preaches is stoned and left for dead, drugged out of the town. ANd what does paul do? He simply gets up and goes back into the town and preaches more.

Paul doesn't quit, he doesn't hold a pity party or speak of his sad story. He brushes himself off and gets back to living the life of faith. He doesn't let the suffering and challenges defeat his mission and his life of faith.

Paul keeps the end in mind and it makes all the difference. HE runs the race on the road to glory and doesn't let the circumstances distract him.

Keeping the end in mind makes all the difference for all who believe. It empowers us to engage the struggle of faith in life and love and it enhances all we are as we move down that road to glory: Glory of God is man alive.