The glory of God is a man fully alive. – Irenaeus, 2nd century church father
The medieval theologian Bede the Venerable gave a parable where he likened human existence to that of a bird that in the night flies out of the darkness into a dimly lit room of a castle, lights for a moment, and then flies out the opposite window. Bede meant to present human existence as transitory and essentially preparatory for the next. This was the prevailing medieval view of human existence.
The Word was God.
The Word become flesh.
The Word dwelt among us.
And we have seen his glory,
Glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
