📌 “What Does the Glory of God Mean?” reflection is part of the True Devotion to Mary series.
📖 We’re currently in Chapter 2, Part 2 — Fourth Motive.
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The fourth motive as to why we should devote ourselves fully to the Blessed Virgin is that it “procures” God’s greater glory.
Which leads me to ask: What does the Glory of God mean?
I know we often sing “Gloria” during Mass. And it’s also common for us to say, “For the glory of God” when we accomplish something.
I also remember reading the stories of Moses—of God descending onto Mount Sinai with thunder, lightning, and earthquake.
Hence, my first thought was:
What does devoting ourselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary have to do with God’s fearsome display of power via nature?
But then there’s also the Catechism of the Catholic Church quoting St. Irenaeus, a second-century Church Father, who said:
“The glory of God is man fully alive.”
Which is it then? Or can they both be true?
To understand better, I revisited Moses’ conversation with God on Mount Sinai.
For context, this is the event where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments etched in stone tablets.
In Exodus 33:18–20, Moses was asking God:
“Please, show me your glory!”
I was expecting God to say something like:
“Behold, I will pass in front of you with blazing fire, and thunder, and lightning!”
But to my pleasant surprise, it wasn’t what God said at all.
What He said warmed my heart:
“I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you,
and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you;
and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious,
and will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.”
Goodness.
Graciousness.
Compassion.
Imagine these three in their highest perfection. THAT is the Glory of God.
Wow.
It’s no wonder St. Irenaeus said that. The goodness of God compels Him to give us abundant life!
✨ How Does Devotion to Mary Channel God’s Glory?
Of course, we know that later on—in the fulfillment of the Old Testament (a.k.a. the New Testament)—that Jesus is the ultimate manifestation of God’s Glory.
In Hebrews 1:3, it says that Jesus is:
“…the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.”
And if we think more deeply about it—
Through whom did this magnificent radiance of God’s Glory come into the world to dwell among us?
Through the Blessed Virgin Mary.
God chose to enter the world through her free and humble “yes,” clothing His eternal glory in human flesh.
In this way, Mary became the sacred vessel through which the fullness of divine light was made visible.
What Does the Glory of God Mean in Your Life?
Now imagine what happens when you consecrate yourself to Her. In other words, when you entrust yourself to Her care.
She will use all the value of your prayers and good works to increase the Glory of God, St. Louis de Montfort says.
Now I understand better what that means.
It means our Blessed Mother will use our prayers and good works for God’s goodness, graciousness, and compassion to flourish on Earth.
We may not always know how to glorify God. But our Blessed Mother does. Like any good and resourceful Mother, she knows how to take even our smallest acts and use them for His glory.