Gazing on Glory: The Secret to Sharing Your Faith
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
Therefore, since we have such hope, we act very boldly and not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not look intently at the end of what was fading. Rather, their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they read the old covenant, the same veil remains, unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts. But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Grace Prayed For
Based on this passage, we are prompted to pray for the grace of an unveiled heart.
We can pray: “Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life, give me the courage to turn to the Lord. Remove the veils of fear and pride from my heart. Grant me the freedom to gaze upon the glory of Jesus, so that I may be transformed into His image and reflect His love in every encounter.”
Reflection
We all wear veils. We hide our hearts not just from others, but from God. These veils are woven from our fears, our past wounds, our self-reliance, and our sin. They are the pride that stops us from asking for help and the shame that stops us from accepting forgiveness. A veiled heart cannot experience true intimacy. It cannot fully “share” because it is guarded, and it cannot fully “receive” because it is closed.
St. Paul tells us that “whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” This is the first step of intimacy. It is a simple, conscious choice to turn our face—our true, unveiled face—toward Jesus. In that moment of turning, we give Him permission to remove what is blocking our hearts.
And who is the one who does this work? “Now the Lord is the Spirit.” This is the heart of your theme. The Holy Spirit is the agent of our intimacy. He is the divine “veil-remover.” He is the one who breathes “freedom” into our guarded hearts—the freedom to be seen by God in our entirety and to see Him in His.
This encounter is not passive; it is transformative. Paul says we are “gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord.” This is our prayer. This is the intimacy we seek. But it does not end there. As we gaze, we “are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.”
This is how our intimacy with God becomes our mission.
We do not just look at Jesus; we begin to look like Him. The love, mercy, and peace we “receive” from Him in prayer are the very things we “share” with the world. We become walking mirrors. Our encounters in the world—with the barista, the coworker, the family member—become our chance to “shine forth.” When our faces are unveiled, others do not see us and our own anxieties; they catch a reflection of the “glory of the Lord” we have been gazing upon.
Our mission, then, is not to go out and “fix” people. Our mission is to live so “unveiled” that when people meet us, they meet someone who has just been with Jesus, someone who is being transformed by the Spirit. That is how we partner with Jesus to restore creation: one “unveiled” encounter at a time.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
Fulfilling Your Baptismal Mission
Here are practical, day-to-day ways to evangelize by focusing on how Jesus has loved you and impacted your life.
Be a “Glory” Reflector: The “glory” we reflect is Christ’s love. This is evangelization through virtue. Be the person who is patient in the long line, who gives a genuine compliment, who thanks the bus driver, who holds the door. These small acts of kindness, joy, and peace are the “restoration of creation” in miniature. They are the Gospel lived out, proclaiming the love of Jesus without a single word.
Practice “Receiving” First: In every encounter, your first mission is to receive the other person. This means listening with an “unveiled” heart. Put away your agenda, make eye contact, and listen to understand, not just to respond. This ministry of presence is a profound way to show someone the unconditional, attentive love of Christ.
Share Your “Small” Testimonies: You don’t need a dramatic conversion story. When someone mentions they are stressed, share how Jesus has impacted your life in that area. Say something simple like, “I know what you mean. I get anxious too, but I’ve found that just taking 60 seconds to talk to Jesus about it really calms me down. He’s been a great source of peace for me.”
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post