Gift, forgiveness are the essence of God’s glory, Pope says at Angelus

By Christopher Wells

On the Cross, we see the glory of Jesus and of the Father, Pope Francis reminded the faithful at the Sunday Angelus. 

Reflecting on the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the Holy Father explained that Jesus “wants to tell us that glory, for God, does not correspond to human success, fame, or popularity… For God, glory is about loving to the point of giving one’s life.”

This, the Pope continued, happened in a definitive way on the Cross, “where Jesus unfolded God’s love to the fullest, fully revealing the face of mercy, giving life, and forgiving those who crucified Him.”

Gift and forgiveness, the essence of God's glory

The Pope went on to say that from the Cross, Jesus teaches us that “gift and forgiveness are the essence of God’s glory. And they are the way of life for us.”

This implies a standard that differs from the criteria for worldly glory, Pope Francis said. But “worldly glory” he added, “passes away and leaves no joy in the heart; nor does it lead to the good of all, but to division, discord, and envy.”

Pope Francis invited everyone to ask themselves, “What is the glory I desire for myself, for my life, that I dream for my future?” Is it worldly glory? Or is it, “the way of gift and forgiveness, the way of Christ Crucified, the way of one who does not tire of giving, confident that this bears witness to God in the world and makes the beauty of life shine? For when we give and forgive, God’s glory shines in us.”

The Holy Father concluded his Angelus reflection with the prayer that the Virgin Mary, “who followed Jesus with faith in the hour of the Passion,” might “help us to be living reflections of God’s love.”