The Cross was the condition of glory… What seemed an offense, a scandal, a defeat, a succumbing to the inevitable was actually a dark moment foreseen, planned and preannounced. Though the Cross seemed incompatible with His glory, to Him [Jesus the Messiah] it was the appointed path thereto…
“Were not our hearts burning within us when He spoke to us on the road, and when He made the Scriptures plain to us?”, [said the two travelers to the village of Emmaus who had encountered an “unknown” man along the way after Jesus’ crucifixion three days earlier and His resurrection that very day]. ~Luke 24:32
Christ veiled His presence in the most ordinary roadway of life. Knowledge of Him came as they walked with Him; and the knowledge was that of glory that came through defeat… The Cross and glory went together. It was not just His teachings that were recalled; it was His sufferings and how expedient they were for His exaltation.
A reflection based on the words from Bishop Fulton Sheen from a previous post...
This morning, as I meditate on them, these words ring true in my deepest heart.
Many things in life that we think and assume to be polar opposites are not. Like hard things and good things. Like the Cross and glory, suffering and exaltation. In fact, not only do they go together, often one is the absolute condition of the other, one is the appointed path to the other.
What seems completely incompatible at times is actually expedient and best. What seems like the wrong way to us, is actually the only right way. What seems like offense and scandal and defeat and a succumbing to an inevitable shameful disgrace, is actually “a dark moment foreseen and planned” by an all-knowing, all-powerful, eternally-loving Heavenly Father who does all things well, and who understands that the only way to exaltation is through suffering in the valley of the shadow of death.
God can and does turn our darkest and hardest present moments into our brightest and most glorious future exaltations. We only need to keep walking with Him in the ordinary roadways of life, listening to Him make the Scriptures plain to us - invite Him into our homes to break bread with us… and our eyes too will opened and we will recognize Him: He who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
And our hearts too will burn for passion and joy within us!
