(Acts 7:55-60; Ps.97:1-2,6-7,9; Rv.22:12-14,16-17,20; Jn.17:20-26) "I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me." The Father gave Jesus His glory. It is Jesus' own glory He owns, for He had it "before the foundation of the world," but now the Father has given it to Him anew in His incarnation as the Son of Man; and in His death and resurrection He shall not only confirm it in Himself, but serve thus to make it our own. What glory is ours in this Son of God who has come among us to draw us into the Father's immortal, eternal love! It is the same glory the Father and Son know and share in the Spirit who makes them one. We are called to be so one with this Holy Trinity. Our jaws should drop at such a prospect, our hearts reach up, and praise of the Most High God resound upon our tongues; for what does Jesus pray for us but that we be one in glory with the Righteous One? And this glory is "coming soon." Jesus promises John that soon He shall return, and then absolute glory will be our own, if we have washed clean our robes from sin, if we have prepared our souls to eat from "the tree of life and enter the city through its gates," coming thus to where the glory of God dwells in eternity. But if we are not clean, if we attempt to enter the city by other means than the gate before us, the gate who is Jesus and His teachings – climbing over the wall we shall but fall, and find the taste of the fruit of the tree terribly bitter. The people and their leaders could not well partake of the blessed word Stephen brought to their ears. Of the glory of God and their own falling short they would not hear… and so could but stone its bearer to death. But Stephen finds himself present there within the City gates, even while upon his knees and crying out; for his eyes are open to see God's glorious One, and these stones he returns to their throwers with but a prayer for peace. Open your ears, my brothers and sisters. Open your hearts to His call. "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come,'" and you must echo their glorious song to the Alpha and the Omega. To us soon Jesus the Christ is coming; "all peoples [will] see His glory." Invite Him in and be one with Him, even as the stones are falling. "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" Amen and Alleluia! Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "There Is No End to Life" (2nd half) from Thoroughfare, seventh album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, let us hear the Word of your Son and come to join Him in glory with you on high. YHWH, you are the Most High over earth and Heaven, and you call us to yourself through your only Son. He would have us be one with you in the kingdom, and so He joins Himself to us that we might be joined to Him and so to you. To your glory let us come, O LORD. Soon Jesus shall return to us; let us be prepared. Let us see Him at your right hand as has Stephen, and welcome Him so freely into our lives, ready even to die. For what is our death in this world but a falling asleep? What matter the stones raining upon our heads if we have vision of you in our eyes and in our minds? May we wash our robes clean and so freely call upon your Son to come. With you and with your Son let us be one; let us see your glory. O may we stand in your presence forever, LORD! Please receive our spirit.