The Glory of God

     What is the Glory of God. This question is a surprisingly difficult one to answer. There are a variety of things which are the glory of God. In short, those things give glory to God through their actions.
     Man fully alive is the Glory of God. When humans act as they were born to act, they give glory to God. Man is created with intelligence, reason, free will, the capacity to love, and the ability to be in communion with himself, his human companions, the world, and most importantly with God. When we as humans partake in acts such as these, we give glory to God, for we are fulfilling the goal of his creation of man. When we sin, we are not giving glory to God. When we act, it especially gives glory to God because we choose to act of our own volition. When we do the right thing, we chose to do the right thing. Because it is of our own free will, and not out of compulsion, we show that we choose his way; we think his path and goals for us are better than other ones. We further glorify his position as creator.
     All of creation has the capacity to give Glory to God. When a squirrel runs around, and lives, and eats nuts, it is doing what it was created to do. Because it fulfills the task it was designed to do, it gives glory to God. Much like a smoothly running machine gives glory to its inventor, so to do the living things of this Earth give Glory to God. Inanimate objects too give Glory to God. They fulfill the task they were created to fulfill. A river fulfills is purpose by sustaining the living creatures with its water, irrigating fields, eroding the soil, and by generally being a pleasant place to be around. The tectonic plates are inanimate objects which work in conjunction with each other in order shape the surface of the Earth; they too give glory to God in this task. Inanimate objects are like sculptures; they give glory to God simply by being. Living creatures give a little more Glory to God because they enjoy the creations God has created for them. Data has shown that animals appear to exhibit at the very least basic emotions. They respond to the environment around them in ways that inanimate objects do not. In their appreciation for the world, they give Glory to God.
    Therefore, the Glory of God is creation. In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth, and he saw that they were good. He created them, brought them forth from nothingness, and gave them intelligent beings to inhabit them. It is then the responsibility of those beings to Give Glory to God by being stewards of the Earth which gives God Glory, and by taking care of each other, for they themselves give God glory. Humanity failed in its tasks; it sinned and did not give Glory to God. However, by the paschal mystery we are able to be redeemed, forgiven, and reconciled with God. In doing so, man is able to be fully alive. We leave behind our original sin in the baptismal waters, and through God's grace we are in communion with him, giving him the Glory he deserves. That is the Glory of God.