22 November-Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations for Every Day

22nd November

The Glory of God

1. The whole of creation manifests the glory of God. The grass of the field, the trees of the forest, the insects and birds of the air, the creatures on the earth and in the sea, the stars in the sky—they all speak to us of the power and beauty of the Creator. You also were created by and for God, Who is the beginning and end of all things. In all thoughts, actions, and affections, therefore, you should seek the glory of God. God, indeed, has no need of your small contribution to enhance His glory. His glory is complete and perfect in Himself, in Heaven and in Hell. God does not need you, but you need God. It is your strict obligation not only to proclaim the glory of God, but also to work for its triumph in yourself and in all things.

2. The man who loves God above all things seeks only His glory. The man who loves himself more than he loves God, however, seeks his own petty, worldly glorification and strays away from the main road of life which should lead him towards God. Let us study the behaviour of the Saints, who forgot themselves and thought only of God. In order to please Him, to win His approval, and to cooperate in the manifestation of His glory, they deprived themselves of food and rest and sacrificed themselves entirely for His sake.

Now consider yourself. Perhaps you are still excessively self-centred. Perhaps you love yourself too much and love God too little. Perhaps you try too hard to achieve worldly success and forget that at the end of life your insignificant personal conquests and laurels will seem to you to be so many useless toys on which you have wasted the precious time which God gave you. Think about this and form suitable resolutions for the future.

3. Holiness consists in love—not earthly love, of course, but supernatural love. It consists in seeking God in all things, in doing His will without reservation, in aiming at His glory. All else is dust and ashes. So it will appear to us at the end of life when we shall be able to view ourselves and the world around us in the light of eternity. Herein lies the explanation of the lives of the Saints, lives of sacrifice dedicated to God and to the salvation of souls.
“Everything for the greater glory of God” was the motto of St. Ignatius of Loyola. “Everything in the name of God,” said St. Vincent de Paul. “My God is my all,” said St. Catherine of Genoa. How do my thoughts, desires, and ambitions compare with these? Are they sincerely directed towards God and towards His glory?