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Letters Twenty-First
Sunday in Ordinary Time |
The Catholic Telegraph
August 23, 2002The verses from Romans assigned for this Sunday’s readings follow immediately on last Sunday’s. They constitute the conclusion not only of the chapters (9 - 11) in which Paul has been speaking of the future of Israel, but of the whole section of the letter that has been dealing with salvation (1.16 - 11.36). These verses are, if possible, even more intense and rhapsodic that those we heard three weeks ago when Paul was concluding his general teaching on salvation (8.35-39).
This highly charged passage is composed of exclamations and questions, followed by a theological declaration and a final acclamation. It is a classic of reverence, wonder, and awe.
The wealth, and the understanding, and the intelligence of God are without limit, Paul says. They are deep beyond measure. There is no bottom to their amplitude. God’s processes of thought and planning are beyond the examination and grasp of anyone beside Himself.
To express himself still better, Paul quotes two passages from Scripture (Isaiah 40.13 and, in paraphrase, Job 41.3). Who has ever been able to give God advice? Who has ever been able to force God’s generosity by being generous to Him first?
Now comes a one-line theological statement that gives the basis not only for the present hymn of glory and praise, but for whatever else Paul has said so far in Romans. Everything that is (including, presumably, the universal plan of salvation), comes from God, is sustained by God, is directed toward God. God is source, agent, and goal of creation, salvation, and final fulfillment for everything and everyone that exists.
"To him be glory forever. And I really mean it (i.e., Amen)!"
Perhaps the best way to address this glorious passage of Paul is to reflect a bit about glory and about glorifying God.
"The glory of God," or "the glory of Christ" is mentioned in every book of the New Testament (except for the letters of John and the letter to Philemon). We speak of God’s glory as the goal toward which our human life is supposed to be directed: "All for the honor and glory of God."
"Glory be to God" is an important phrase in Christian spirituality and worship, a significant expression in our relationship with God. On big feast days we sing, "Glory to God in the highest." One of the most commonly used Christian prayers is the Gloria Patri: "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit," used to conclude just about every psalm and canticle in the liturgy of the hours. At every celebration of the Mass we conclude the Eucharistic prayer offering through, with, and in Christ "all honor and glory" forever to the Father.
What is the relationship between God’s glory and giving glory to God? The dictionary defines glory as "great beauty and splendor," and as the quality of being distinguished or resplendent. God’s glory, then, is His quality of being God expressed in terms of visibility. It is divinity expressed in categories of sight, or, better, in categories beyond sight. After Moses had encountered God on the mountain top his face was so bright that the Israelites couldn’t look at him. He had been touched by the glory of God.
When we speak of giving glory to God in our worship or in our actions, we do not mean that we are giving God something new that He doesn’t already have. "Glory be to God" is rather our attempt to acknowledge the greatness and splendor of God, to recognize God’s inexpressible godliness, to speak out as explicitly as we are able the greatness and majesty of God. "Glory be to God" means, "I/we know you are God, that you are good and gracious and beautiful, and that everything we can say about you falls short of Your reality."
Giving glory to God is closely linked to praising God. Praise is the acknowledgment of excellence. When we applaud at a concert we are expressing praise for the expertise of the musicians. In our human relationships, we are sometimes stingy with praise, in part because people who are praised are sometimes reluctant to have their excellence recognized, in part because we are not always sure that others deserve our praise or because we are afraid that praising others might diminish ourselves. Obviously, offering praise to God is always appropriate because God’s worth and excellence surpass all limits and can never be adequately acknowledged by mere creatures.
Closely allied to praise is thanksgiving. If we acknowledge the goodness and generosity of God, we are necessarily acknowledging that God has been good and generous to us. There is no aspect of our being (except the sinfulness in which we may willingly engage ourselves) that is not appropriate subject matter for thanksgiving. If everything is God’s gift, then we need to be thankful for everything!
Glorifying, praising, and thanking God are important things for Christian believers to be engaged in, not only because they are always appropriate here and now but because they will be our principal occupation for all eternity in heaven. Glory to God forever!
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Conversation Questions.
In what way have I experienced God’s glory in my life?
What role do glory, praise, and thanksgiving play in my personal spirituality?
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