Scripture: 2 Peter 1:17
He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, case saying, no rx “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Quote: I pronounce it as certain that there was never yet a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.
              Benjamin Franklin, The Busy-body, No. 3, February 18, 1728

Thought for the Day: Greatness comes not through tyranny, but by living a virtuous life. God is well pleased with Jesus, because Jesus lives a fully-connected life. He also perfectly represents the cardinal virtues of classical Aristotelian philosophy (which predate New Testament writings by about 500 years): justice, temperance, courage and restraint. Jesus manages to change the world by exemplifying human virtue. It’s not a stretch to see Jesus as a teacher of virtue ethics, either. Everything he says is intended to help us become more virtuous, because Jesus understood that a life lived virtuously is a life lived more closely with God.

This does not mean that we are to deny ourselves pleasure. The temperance movements of the prohibition era were instigated by people who misunderstood the virtues (and I might add misunderstood Jesus). Life is not about denying ourselves pleasure, it’s about not taking our pleasure at the expense of others. Temperance doesn’t mean prohibition, it means restraint. Justice isn’t for those in power, it’s for those oppressed by the power-hungry. And to live a truly virtuous life? It takes courage, because it means rallying against a society that is self-centered to the point of being self-destructive. If we are searching for greatness, we need look no further than the example of Jesus and the living Christ within us all.

Prayer: It’s great to be with you, Lord! Stay with me throughout the day and point out the times I veer from the virtuous path, so I may correct my actions and make you proud. Amen.