Mar 26, 2025 Written by 

Do not seek "glory"

The passage from Jn shows how Jesus receives testimony not from men, but from works done.

People do not believe in Him because the Son hears the voice of the Father who sent Him, and His Word does not dwell in their hearts.

 

Francis, in love with the Word, drew from it the strength of his witness. Like Jesus, the works he performed testified to the Father's mandate.

The Word of the Almighty remained in him and the love of the Lord dwelt in him.

The Poor Man did not seek glory that comes from men; on the contrary, he fled it to seek only that which comes from God - of a different flavour.

Humility was the measure of his living.

We find important references to this in the Sources.

For example, in the Letter to the whole Order we read:

"Incline the ear of your heart and obey the voice of the Son of God.

Keep his precepts in the depths of your heart and fulfil his counsels perfectly.

Praise him for he is good, and exalt him in your works, for this he sent you throughout the whole world, that you may bear witness to his voice in word and deed and make known to all that there is none Almighty but he!

The Greater Legend informs us:

"Like a burning coal, he seemed all consumed by the flame of divine love.

On hearing the name of the Lord's love, he immediately felt stimulated, struck, inflamed: that name was for him like a plectrum, which made the depths of his heart vibrate.

"To offer, in return for alms, the precious patrimony of the love of God," he said, "is noble prodigality, and most foolish are those who esteem it less than money, for only the inappreciable price of divine love is capable of buying the kingdom of heaven.

And much must we love the love of Him who loved us much" (FF 1161).

The testimony of the Creator's works appealed to him:

"In order to draw from everything incitement to love God, he rejoiced at all the works of the Lord's hands and, from this spectacle of joy, he went back to the Cause and Reason that makes everything live.

He contemplated, in beautiful things, the Beautiful One and, following the footsteps impressed in creatures, he pursued the Beloved everywhere.

Of all things he made himself a ladder to climb to grasp Him who is all desirable" (FF 1162).

And to his brothers he often repeated:

"No one should flatter himself with unjust boasting about those deeds, which even the sinner could do.

The sinner,' he explained, 'can fast, pray, weep, macerate his body.

But only one thing is not possible for him: to remain faithful to his Lord.

It is precisely this that we must glory in, if we give God the glory that is His due, if as faithful servants we attribute to Him all the good that He gives us' (FF 718).

 

«I do not receive glory from men. But I know that you do not have the love of God in yourselves» (Jn 5:41-42)

 

 

Thursday, 4th wk. in Lent  (Jn 5:31-47)

95 Last modified on Wednesday, 26 March 2025 04:40
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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Knowing God, knowing Christ, always means loving him, becoming, in a sense, one with him by virtue of that knowledge and love. Our life becomes authentic and true life, and thus eternal life, when we know the One who is the source of all being and all life (Pope Benedict)
Conoscere Dio, conoscere Cristo significa sempre anche amarLo, diventare in qualche modo una cosa sola con Lui in virtù del conoscere e dell’amare. La nostra vita diventa quindi una vita autentica, vera e così anche eterna, se conosciamo Colui che è la fonte di ogni essere e di ogni vita (Papa Benedetto)
Christians are a priestly people for the world. Christians should make the living God visible to the world, they should bear witness to him and lead people towards him. When we speak of this task in which we share by virtue of our baptism, it is no reason to boast (Pope Benedict)
I cristiani sono popolo sacerdotale per il mondo. I cristiani dovrebbero rendere visibile al mondo il Dio vivente, testimoniarLo e condurre a Lui. Quando parliamo di questo nostro comune incarico, in quanto siamo battezzati, ciò non è una ragione per farne un vanto (Papa Benedetto)
Because of this unique understanding, Jesus can present himself as the One who reveals the Father with a knowledge that is the fruit of an intimate and mysterious reciprocity (John Paul II)
In forza di questa singolare intesa, Gesù può presentarsi come il rivelatore del Padre, con una conoscenza che è frutto di un'intima e misteriosa reciprocità (Giovanni Paolo II)
Yes, all the "miracles, wonders and signs" of Christ are in function of the revelation of him as Messiah, of him as the Son of God: of him who alone has the power to free man from sin and death. Of him who is truly the Savior of the world (John Paul II)
Sì, tutti i “miracoli, prodigi e segni” di Cristo sono in funzione della rivelazione di lui come Messia, di lui come Figlio di Dio: di lui che, solo, ha il potere di liberare l’uomo dal peccato e dalla morte. Di lui che veramente è il Salvatore del mondo (Giovanni Paolo II)
It is known that faith is man's response to the word of divine revelation. The miracle takes place in organic connection with this revealing word of God. It is a "sign" of his presence and of his work, a particularly intense sign (John Paul II)
È noto che la fede è una risposta dell’uomo alla parola della rivelazione divina. Il miracolo avviene in legame organico con questa parola di Dio rivelante. È un “segno” della sua presenza e del suo operare, un segno, si può dire, particolarmente intenso (Giovanni Paolo II)
That was not the only time the father ran. His joy would not be complete without the presence of his other son. He then sets out to find him and invites him to join in the festivities (cf. v. 28). But the older son appeared upset by the homecoming celebration. He found his father’s joy hard to take; he did not acknowledge the return of his brother: “that son of yours”, he calls him (v. 30). For him, his brother was still lost, because he had already lost him in his heart (Pope Francis)
Ma quello non è stato l’unico momento in cui il Padre si è messo a correre. La sua gioia sarebbe incompleta senza la presenza dell’altro figlio. Per questo esce anche incontro a lui per invitarlo a partecipare alla festa (cfr v. 28). Però, sembra proprio che al figlio maggiore non piacessero le feste di benvenuto; non riesce a sopportare la gioia del padre e non riconosce il ritorno di suo fratello: «quel tuo figlio», dice (v. 30). Per lui suo fratello continua ad essere perduto, perché lo aveva ormai perduto nel suo cuore (Papa Francesco)

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