DAILY GRACE
April 2, 2020, Thursday in the Fifth Week of Lent
Scripture: John 8:51-59
Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Meditation
“If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me . . .”
This is Jesus’ response to the challenge, “Who do you claim to be?” His questioners think Jesus is getting above himself, putting on airs. They think he should be more humble and not make these wild assertions to greatness.
But what is humility, actually? We may think it simply means not bragging about our accomplishments and gifts, or maybe even downplaying them. No, humility is truth, as many spiritual writers have said.
So if I am talented at something, I can go around saying it as much as I want, as long as it’s the truth? No, that’s not the kind of truth that is meant. It’s a deeper truth. The deeper truth says that my talent is a gift. It does not come from me (even though I may have contributed my part by hard work and effort). The deeper truth is that I have nothing of my own —- every ability and capacity I have comes from God. Whatever physical talents, whatever good looks, whatever good deeds, whatever good fortune, indeed our very existence — it’s all gift. Everything we have to glory in comes from God. The true reason for my worth and yours is not our attractiveness or competency, much less the things we own or our positions of responsibility. The reason you and I are of such value, more precious than gold, is the value placed on us by our Creator and Redeemer.
Prayer
Lord, I wish I could get this straight once and for all. I seem to vacillate between being proud of myself for the wrong reasons (my accomplishments, other people’s good opinions of me, etc.) to being down on myself for the wrong reasons (my failures, other people’s bad opinion of me, etc.). Help me to keep perspective: —- to see and live in the truth of your eternal and absolute love that bestows on me as a gift, all that I have and a
Contemplation
I glory in my Lord’s love.