In the Book of Exodus (19:3), when Israel was encamped at the base of Mt. Sinai, God summoned Moses and provided him with a message to convey: “You have seen how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now, if you obey me completely and keep my covenant, you will be my treasured possession among all peoples…” (19:4-5) On that day, God’s glory shone upon Moses and His chosen people.
At the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, an old and smiling Simeon held Jesus in his arms. In the presence of Mary and Joseph, he declared what is now known as Simeon’s Canticle: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
In John’s Gospel (2:1-12), during the Wedding at Cana, Jesus performed His first public miracle. If you remember, after Mary approached Jesus to inform Him that they were running short of wine, Jesus instructed the servers to fill six stone jars with water that He transformed into “good wine.” In verse 11, we are told that “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory…”
A few years ago, a permanent deacon told a powerful story that occurred during his years of diaconal formation. He noted that when he and his wife learned that their already large family of seven children would be enriched by an eighth, there was much excitement. Not long after receiving this news, however, doctors informed them that their unborn child would be a special-needs child. In the days following, all the way up to her birth, he recounted that he couldn’t stop worrying—about the future. Who would care for her when he and his wife were gone?
Shortly after her birth, he extended his hand over her and asked God to heal her. But at that very moment, he recalled feeling an oppressive spiritual attack from the devil. A few weeks later, while praying, he felt as though he had been struck by lightning when a real strong power flowed through his heart. In the silence, he heard the Lord say to him:
I promise you that you will see my glory in your daughter’s life. And the second thing is this, I’m not going to heal her because she is not the person who is handicapped. The person who is handicapped is you because you are judging her.
Today, the deacon feels that each time his daughter looks at him, it is the Lord himself looking at him—through her—and revealing His glory.
