John 12:20-33
Today is Passion Sunday – the beginning of the 2 weeks when the Church commemorates the suffering of Jesus during the last days of his earthly life. Next week is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week – and during Holy Week we journey to the hour – the hour when God glorifies his name. Our gospel reading this morning marks the beginning of a change in Jesus’ ministry. Up to this point in time his focus has been the people of Israel. The coming of the Greeks who have come to worship at the festival is seen as anticipating the coming of the Gentiles into the community of believers. It seems that their arrival prompted Jesus to acknowledge that the hour had come for him to be crucified, and that by his death and resurrection, he will draw all people to him, including Gentiles. Jesus knew that the hour had arrived when he would be made the sacrifice for the sin of the whole world and his soul was deeply troubled as he contemplated the Cross. He asked himself: "What should I say - 'Father, save me from this hour?'" But Jesus reasoned with himself... knowing that it was for this purpose... the salvation of mankind, that he had come to this hour - the hour when he would take upon himself the sin of the world. And so, he cried out, “Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
You wouldn’t be the only person to think when God says he has glorified his name and will do it again, that he’s proclaiming his own greatness to himself. Self-glorification is something we’re used to hearing from politicians and others who are talented in some way – Mohammed Ali springs to mind immediately when he said - ”I am the greatest”. The epitome of arrogance to say the least. But can the same be said of God? Of course not. He had already glorified his name through what he had done from the beginning of time and would do so again in the context of what was soon to happen to Jesus. So, if he didn’t speak his own praises, how had God glorified His name?
When God acts, or when he speaks his word, he displays his glory. Through creation he displays his glory, and this act brings honour to his name; God was glorified by his creative act through something we see – something so beautiful, so precious, and worthy of praise and honour. And every time God proclaims a prophecy of what will come to pass, or how the actions of humankind, both good and bad, are made to work into his plan for his creation, God demonstrates that he knows all things and has power over all aspects of our lives. God is glorified when he reveals his knowledge of the “end from the beginning”.
God’s glory is also revealed in his unchanging nature. When he came in human flesh to redeem lost humanity, he revealed his unconditional love. When he submitted his body to a criminal’s death to pay for our sins, he revealed his mercy. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. When God offered his full and free forgiveness for all of us, because of Jesus’ payment of our debt, God revealed his grace. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. God is glorified through his nature and action, and his response to Jesus in this morning’s gospel is that his name will be glorified again by the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
So, God has glorified his name through his nature and actions in the world and our lives. How do we respond to that? In the Bible we are called to glorify God in everything we do and we do that through our faithfulness and by living our lives the way we have been asked to live it. Today is St Patrick’s Day – through his vision and mission he changed the lives and futures of the people he once walked among as a slave. God was glorified through St Patrick’s faith and deeds – and even though you may not think of yourself as a saint, not only are we called to glorify God – we are called to be saints too.
Jesus’ prayer for God to glorify his name was in the context of his impending crucifixion. ‘The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit……whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am there will my servant also be. Whoever serves me, the father will honour.’ Glorifying God is our response to his greatness. We glorify God through our actions and words, and above all by following Jesus and what he told us to do – Love one another. When we interact with someone, we are called to see the real person behind the mask they may wear - and to love them - even though sometimes it can be quite a challenge. Often that takes time – time is one thing we all have in common – and in using that time to try and love one another we are serving God – we are glorifying him. We only love because we were first loved by God – and as a result we can love one another, and love God with all our hearts and souls and minds and glorify him in all that we say and do.
Let us pray.
Father, we love you, we worship and adore you, glorify your name in all the earth.
Jesus, we love you, we worship and adore you, glorify your name in all the earth.
Spirit, we love you, we worship and adore you, glorify your name in all the earth.
Glory to you, Lord our God. You came and enlightened the world through Jesus Christ our Saviour, and your light has left its mark on us. We thank you for your unconditional love for us. As we journey through this week, help us to see you in the people we meet and in the places we go. And grant that everything we do we do for your glory.
Amen.