Weight Of Glory

In the weight of glory, CS Lewis comments on the fact that we are promised something greater, yet we don’t realize the effect that has on us. We don’t realize that our love for beauty is born out of a desire for what is to come that is given innately to each one of us. We don’t realize that this desire for beauty and a desire is a glimpse of heaven. He tells of a man who will try to regain that memory he received through a flower or music, but when he goes back all he finds is the object. Lewis explains that this is because the object itself is simply that—an object. We begin to search for that sense of awe in the object. Lewis states that that is almost like our promise of heaven. The fact that we hunger for a better place shows that there is one, just like a man who hungers for bread in a world full of people can know that there must be something to eat or we wouldn’t be hungry. Lewis then goes on to explain that our promise in the bible involves receiving glory. Lewis explains that he does not understand this. He relates it to being placed above others, a quality not very fitting of heaven, or being a light bulb. As he goes on he discusses how he came to the realization that glory is merely acceptance by God. He sees that what we do on earth is to earn our glory or favor from God. When we earn favor and glory we are accepted and “recognized” by God on the Day of Judgment. The simple fact that everything we do pushes us towards or away from glory is where our “weight of glory” comes in. We have the burden of bringing others into this glory so that when the day comes God will look down on them and will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” If they do not have glory they will be wiped from the memory of the all-knowing God, so to speak. They will lose their place in reality ending in complete separation from everything we know. As Lewis says, “All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations.” We need to live our lives on earth so we and those around us can partake in the glory of God.