“The glory of God is the person fully alive”

The second century Christian martyr St. Ireneus coined a phrase that has resounded throughout the centuries, “The glory of God is the person fully alive.”
The challenge of becoming “fully alive” for most of us is putting our gifts at the service of our neighbor – living Jesus’ two great commandments of love of God and love of neighbor.
Today’s first reading — written by Paul while actually confined in prison — catches this crucial dimension of Christian holiness: “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the affliction of Christ on behalf of his Body, which is the Church.” Paul rejoices in his suffering because he experiences the joy of being identified with Jesus even more fully, precisely because of his suffering.
Paul was “fully alive.”
May we be inspired by Paul to become ever more “fully alive.”