When Christ Comes into His Glory
Image from the Antiochian Diocese of Los Angeles and the West
I was musing on passage in scripture where the two disciples ask Christ to allow them to sit at his right and left (or their mother asks on their behalf - compare the Gospel of St. Mark Ch. 10 and Gospel of St. Matthew Ch. 20). He admonishes them that they really don't know what they are asking and notes that those appointments he cannot give - they have been appointed.
Are the two thieves those that are appointed to be on his right and left? And the Glory - it is (isn't it?) the Glory of his suffering, the Glory of his Cross. Death is confounded by His death.
And in the two thieves, we see perhaps also an illustration of the parable of the Sheep and Goats.
I wonder.
posted by Hilarius at 7:56 AM
1 Comments:
The humility and filial piety of the God-Man astounds us, as does His gentleness in admonishing. Rather than put them down for their presumption, He only says, "You don't know what you're asking," and, "Anyway, it's not for me to choose who will be enthroned at my left and right." He conceals from them the harsh reality soon to come to pass, that the thrones to either side of His, as well as His own, in this world will be trees of torture. This lesson is for all of us who think that by placing ourselves as close to Jesus as possible it will ensure our place in glory; yet, until we realise what that glory is, we are in the darkness of fantasy.
Jesus Christ is the King of Glory, and those of us who want to be close to Him must likewise hang, falsely accused, unrighteously judged, and made contemptible to the world, rejected as He was, even by many of His own.
People glibly say that they are bearing their cross, until they realise that it will not be taken from them till they die on it.
On that point, all mortal flesh becomes silent.
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