Gloria Patri II

I’m still working through this Gloria Patri/Glory Be thing. The Gloria Patri, from early Christianity, is a short hymn of praise to God. The exact wording varies depending on faith tradition but the form I use from the Irish Jesuits at http://www.sacredspace.ie/ is:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now and every shall be, world without end.

As I said in an earlier post, I have a couple problems with it. I come from a non-Trinitarian background, which we called Oneness. This is no longer an issue for me but I still do not embrace the Trinity. This is actually an easy fix for me by praying “to the Holy, that is Creating me, Redeeming me and Sustaining me.”

What I have continued to ponder is “Glory.” At first I was uncomfortable offering Glory to God. I feel like we are more partners and I’m not convinced God wants glorification from me. However, this suggests I believe God is a person like me, which I don’t.

So, what is God and what does God want from me? If I haven’t already cited Micah 6:8 before, “God has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does God require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

To begin with, “God” sounds so person-like… and masculine. Why don’t we just call God what Moses called God? I am that I am. The One that is. We—at least I—tend to think referring to God as the Holy, the Divine, etc. sounds so New Age-y but how much more New Age-sounding can you get than “I am that I am.” God, on the other hand seems so much more defined and knowable. That’s that problem. We think we have it all figured out when we really don’t.

I believe the Holy is that which has been drawing us closer into the Holy since humankind began encountering God. I don’t think God ever changes, but as humanity gets closer and closer, what we know of the Holy changes.

I think I’m deciding this Holy that draws us closer in does deserve glory. This experience I feel coming into the Holy from afar deserves glory. Glory be to the Holy that is Creating me, Redeeming me, and Sustaining me. Glory!

Gloria Patri

Gloria Patri.
The Gloria Patri or sometimes called the “Glory be.”
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be fore ever. Amen.

My interest in Benedictine spirituality has led me to studying the Daily Office, a liturgical prayer at set times of the day. The Gloria Patri is a common opening and ending to many variations of the Daily Office.

Right away I reach for some alternative, such as “Source of all being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit, anything to avoid the trinity. My Pentecostal background did not embrace the trinity. Not even capitalize it. We just didn’t believe in it. I don’t mind it these days but it somehow still doesn’t work for me but for completely different reasons.

I think I prefer “God, who is creating, redeeming and sustaining me” or “God, my Creator, my Redeemer and my Sustainer.” Indeed, God is all these things to me.

But, still I have trouble with the “glory” part. What do we mean Glory to God? How do we give glory to God? It seems vague—even a copout—to me.

In words said many times in the Bible but nowhere better than in Micah 6:8, “God has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does God require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” This speaks to me, that God doesn’t need idle words, however heart felt they are meant. As important as this ancient Gloria Patri seem to me, I just don’t think God needs me saying Glory or trying to glorify God. I could say “thanks.” Maybe that would do it but I’m not entirely satisfied with that alternative, either.

My life is all I have to offer and anything less—especially just words—seems like a copout. So, currently, I’m trying and considering “My life to God who is creating me, redeeming me and sustaining me.” As I say it, my life to God, in what ways am I prepared to give my life God? It’s kind of scary.