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When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man
glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at
once.” John 13:31–32
If the life we live here and now is all we will ever have, then it
makes sense to believe that death is our worst enemy. But as we
know, this life is but a grain of sand in the ocean in comparison
to eternity. For that reason, we must see death as our passing into
the glories that await. The death of a loved one is difficult for
sure. And when we face our own death, there are many temptations we
might experience toward fear of the unknown. But if the Son of God
chose to endure death itself, then we must work to see death
differently.
Today’s Gospel passage speaks of Jesus’ coming death as His
glorification. “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is
glorified in him.” Jesus spoke these words right after Judas left
the Last Supper to betray Him. From an earthly perspective, it is
unlikely that anyone would consider their betrayal and brutal death
as the moment when God is glorified. But from a heavenly and
eternal perspective, Jesus’ death was the greatest glorification He
could offer to the Father. This only makes sense when we put on the
mind of God.
As we continue to celebrate our Easter Season, we look beyond the
suffering of Christ to see the fruit of His suffering. We see that
death was defeated and that Jesus will now forever live in His
glorified and resurrected body in Heaven. He will forever carry the
marks in His hands, feet and side, and those marks will forever
glorify the Father. The Resurrection of Christ changes everything,
including death. For that reason, we must continually work to put
on the mind of God and see our human lives as He sees them.
What is it that you live for in this life? What are your goals and
ambitions? If you find that you focus excessively upon immediate
pleasures, material wealth, selfish objectives and passing
ambitions, then it is time to ponder the lesson of Jesus’
glorification. By facing His own death as an opportunity to glorify
the Father, Jesus made it possible for us to do the same. And
though there will always be a healthy sorrow associated with the
passing of a loved one, the hope of Heaven and eternal glory must
become the lens through which we see all things in this life.
When you look at your life, it is essential to see the cross that
God has given to you. That is because your cross is the gateway to
this eternal glory. Each person’s cross will be different. A cross
is not simply our suffering; it’s our call to live sacrificially.
This is love. It’s the calling we are given to lay our lives down
for others. To serve others. To forgive every wrong, to love every
sinner, to show mercy and compassion toward those in need. And to
do all of this in response to God’s perfect will. The crosses in
our lives are opportunities for love in its purest form. This is
how Jesus saw His Cross and this is how we must see ours.
Reflect, today, upon death, but try to look at it as a calling to
give of yourself sacrificially out of love. The best way to prepare
yourself for a glorious death is to live in the love of God here
and now. To the extent that you can do that, God will be glorified
as you share in the glory given to Christ.
My loving Lord, You transformed death itself into the perfect
means by which You gave glory to Your Father and were glorified
Yourself. Please help me to enter into Your mind so that I can see
my life as You see it and to live for that eternal glory to which I
am called. Jesus, I trust in You.
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