Thursday March 21st: If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing.

“I should have chosen to thank God for the opportunity to serve and to emulate the leadership of Jesus…”

John 8:51-59

Long ago. as lead altar server, I wanted to stand out on the altar; to be different from the other boys in their plain gowns. So, I asked my mother to sew a gold braid around the neck of my gown. I would stand out as greater than the others. Luckily, my brother, a priest, came by and ordered me to take the gold braid off. I had to carefully cut the stitching off making sure the gown was not cut and spoilt. I was being taught a lesson then which I did not recognise at the time. “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing.” I was so concerned about revealing my identity to all who were present that I did what was counter to Jesus. Rather, I should have chosen to thank God for the opportunity to serve and to emulate the leadership of Jesus who finds his identity – how he thinks, lives, acts in his Father’s word. Jesus alone can direct us to what God wants us to know and be.

Sometimes a messenger is sent to remind us of obedience to his word that leads us to life, not death