Why the moment of glory?

 

God is ancient and ever new.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, 25th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, and the Memorial of St.  Jerome, September 30th, 2023
Texts: Zechariah 2:1-5.10-11; Canticle Jeremiah 31:10-12,13; Luke 9:43-45 

“Why the moment of glory?” was the question that arose in my mind as I was reflecting on today’s gospel. Was it an attempt to hide the truth of the message from His disciples? I could understand why His disciples did not understand; it was irreconcilable with the glamour of the moment. 

It was a moment He just showed He was mighty by His deeds and people were marvelling at His deeds. He chose such moment to tell them about His passion and death, which shows weakness.  

Jesus simply showed that man should not be carried away by worldly glory. He reminds us of the words of the psalm: “So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart” (90:12); “Lord, let me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. ... And now, O Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you” (39: 4, 7). We should always bear in mind the transitory nature and emptiness of worldly glory. It will help us not to lose focus.  

Jesus teaches us that our attitude to worldly glory should be indifference. We should not let the glory of this world, the glamour it may have, make us forget our purpose. We are to know, love and serve God in this world and be happy with Him in the next. 

God wants the relationship with Him to be progressive

Today’s first reading and the gospel impress on our minds to expect reversal from God. Such a reversal that could not be possible with men. The first reading foretells that Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, for the multitude of people and cattle. 

The reversal is Jerusalem, a city, becoming like village and yet populated like city. Walls provide security, which brings people to the city. The removal of walls keep people away. However, God says the contrary will happen. The removal of walls will be to give way for more people, for He is the security. 

The gospel also has reversal as Jesus called the disciples to new awareness, from glamour to sobriety. This tells us to stop claim of any knowledge of the ways of God as we walk with Him. He saved our forefathers in faith by mighty deeds but he chose to save us by His passion and death. 

We should always be open for new knowledge in God. God wants the relationship with Him to be progressive, not static. We should always strive to grow in the knowledge of God. We should always seek His ways and just follow wherever He directs us each day. He is ancient and ever new. 

Today is the memorial of St. Jerome. He was a lover of Scripture. He translated Scripture into Latin and wrote commentaries on some parts of Scripture. He teaches us to love Scripture. 

Prayer 

O God, who gave the Priest Saint Jerome a living and tender love for Sacred Scripture, grant that your people may be ever more fruitfully nourished by your Word and find in it the fount of life. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke