Sandwiched between baptism and transfiguration is the temptation moment. Between the two moments of the Father’s assurance that he is beloved to him lies the moment for Satan, the moment to be tested of our faithfulness and of our true mettle. This is the human reality that Jesus undergoes for us. This is the death and resurrection experience in baptism and the rest of our lives. He must leave Nazareth to come to the Jordan. He must leave the verdant banks and the cool waters of Jordan to the arid desert to be alone with the Alone. He must also leave his moments with people - teaching, preaching and healing – to be with his father - to be up on the mountain.
These two moments - desert and mountain top - are our experiences of God:
Transfiguration is a moment of enlightenment in our lives where we understand better the purpose of trials, suffering, testing and making sacrifices. We enter into prayer with anger in our hearts, we come out in forgiveness; we go to the Lord in confusion, we come out in enlightenment; we go with our struggles and we come away with strength to face them. We go with our doubts and we come back with understanding. How many young people we meet at the confessional who come with shame, fear and embarrassment and go away understood, comforted and empowered to face trails and temptations of life!
Stay with them for a while and come down the mountain to live our lives as ordinary, as simple and as down-to-earth as they can be.
Tony Kayala, c.s.c.
****
Opening Stories:
1) The Samurai Warrior and the Zen Master
One day, a Samurai warrior went to a Zen master for instruction. "Please," the huge man asked in a thundering voice that was used to instant obedience, "teach me about heaven and hell."
The master scowled at the swordsman, then broke into mocking laughter. "Me, teach you about heaven and hell? I wouldn't waste a moment trying to instruct the brain of an overweight ignoramus like you! How dare you ask me for such a lofty insight?"
Well, upon hearing these words, the Samurai grew furious. No one could insult him like this and get away with it. Enraged, his face flushed and he drew his sword to chop off the teacher's head. Just as he was about to strike, the master raised his hand and calmly said "That, sir, is hell."
Upon hearing this, the samurai suddenly realized the profound lesson the master had just taught him – that we make our own hell by indulging in anger and resentment. The warrior was so grateful for this teaching that he dropped his sword and fell to his knees in front of the Master, bowing in humility and gratitude. When he looked up, the old man was smiling.
"And that, sir," the teacher noted, "is Heaven.
"You risked your very life to teach me in this way?", the Samurai couldn't help asking the master.
"I figured that there was no other way you would have learnt!", the master calmly explained.
*********************
Rev. Richard J. Fairchild
After a while he managed to shoot a duck and it fell in
the lake. The dog walked over the water, picked up the
duck, and brought it to his master.
shot another duck and again, it fell into the lake and
again the dog walked over the water and brought it back to his master.
Hardly daring to believe his eyes, and not wanting to be
thought a total fool, he told no-one about it - but the
next day he called his neighbour to come shooting with
him. As on the previous day he shot a duck and it fell
into the lake. The dog walked over the water and got it.
His neighbour didn't say a word. Several more ducks got
shot that day - and each time the dog walked over the
water to retrieve them - and each time the neighbour said
nothing and neither did the owner of the dog.
Finally - unable to contain himself any longer the owner
asked his neighbour - "do you notice anything strange
about my dog??"
doesn't know how to swim.."
just as seeing the dog walking on the water didn't really
click with the neighbour in the story I just told.
Michel DeVerteuil
General Comments
We often refer to this story as the Transfiguration. In fact however, Jesus’ appearing in glory was merely a new stage in the journey the apostles made with him. From his first manifestation in the world, Jesus was clearly visible as Saviour of all those in need of help. He appeared so especially to those who felt they were in some sort of need and so wanted to turn to him in their prayer for healing and forgiveness.
The gospels often tell us about this element of Jesus’ journey. People were attracted to him for this reason alone, which is also why Jesus withdrew from the crowd and took the decision to live on his own. Those who went looking for his healing power found it very difficult to find him (Mark 1:40). This was why it was said so frequently that all found it difficult to really recognize him – although they kept coming to him in ever greater numbers.
This incident on the mount of Transfiguration shows us that something radical happened then. Jesus’ divinity was now linked to his lowering himself to be with the smallest of all people. He was getting down to the reality of the cross. This was always the truth of Jesus, he always had it within him. He would now be following in the steps of his two great ancestors – Abraham and Moses. He would be leading God’s people to salvation by identifying with the least of them.
This would be the path Jesus would now have to follow. This was why it was so important to Peter and the other disciples to take possession of the place and never give it up for somewhere else. This was also why the Father, in the words “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him,“ showed that this was Jesus at his best and all had to entrust to him their choicest gifts. This was also the reason he made clear to his followers that they would only be able to share this with the others “after the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”
It is very striking that after Jesus had descended from the holy mountain, he met a devil who, he said quite openly, could only be driven out by prayer. This was the new identity revealed at the Transfiguration.
We reflect on this new identity of Jesus, both for himself and for his chosen disciples. Later on, he began to announce this news to his other people. He had made up his mind that he must go to Jerusalem, die after lengthy persecution by the authorities, and then after his death he would rise again. This was the triumph of his death and resurrection.
– Verse 2: The high mountain is a symbol of the painful journey the apostles must make with Jesus before he can be transfigured in their presence.
– Verses 3 to 6: The glory of Jesus is beyond the capacity of any earthly power, it is from God alone. Note St Mark’s comment on why St Peter proposed building three tents: he was desperately afraid of losing the moment.
– Verse 7: The relationship with Jesus is covered by a cloud and yet from within the cloud they experience a renewed commitment to Jesus.
– Verse 8: The apostles are alone with Jesus and they come down the mountain together.
– Verses 9 and 10: It is only when they have seen Jesus die and rise from the dead that the apostles will understand the full significance of the experience.
Scriptural Prayer Reflection
Lord, we thank you for the transfiguration experiences that you favour us with during this Lent when for the first time we will see Jesus in his truth as our lowly saviour
– a Bible passage will suddenly become deep and enriching for us;
– during a parish mission we felt the power of the message of Jesus;
– we celebrate a liturgy that fills us with consolation
– we realize that the following of Jesus has deep implications for all of us.
At that moment we experience a glory
that is not from this earth but from you yourself,
and we cry out from the depths of ourselves
that it is wonderful for us to be here.
Lord, we thank you for the long journey we have made
with our spouse, our closest friend.
We remember the day when they first appeared glorious to us,
with a glory we had never thought possible.
We found it wonderful that we should be together,
in fact so wonderful that we were afraid of losing the moment.
We know now that a relationship cannot remain there.
So a dark cloud came over and covered the relationship with a shadow.
But within the very insecurity of that time
we discovered that this was your beloved
whom we wanted to commit ourselves to forever.
Shortly afterwards, the relationship was stable again
and we came down the mountain together.
But we knew in some vague way that we would have to live through
many deaths and resurrections
before we could understand the journey we had made.
Lord, we don’t take time to know the people we live with:
– either we are too busy with our own affairs,
– or we judge others by their appearances, how they dress,
what they have achieved.
If only we let them lead us up a high mountain
where we can be alone by ourselves,
they can be transfigured in our presence
and we will see the glory that is within them and comes from you.
Lord, we ask you to send wise spiritual guides to your church
who will help us grow in our relationship with you:
– who will encourage us to let ourselves be led
up the high mountain you call us to;
– who will be part of the transfiguration experience,
conversing with Jesus like Moses and Elijah;
– who will stay with us when the cloud comes and covers us in shadows;
– and who will warn us that we must not speak of these things
until we have seen the Son of Man rise from the dead.
Lord, we pray today for those who have committed themselves to a noble cause;
help them to move freely beyond the first experience of joy and excitement,
to remain with their commitment
when a cloud comes and covers them in shadow,
for it is from the cloud that they will learn for sure
that it is your work they have given themselves to,
and they can find you in it.
Lord, from time to time you give us beautiful experiences,moments which bind us to a person or a cause.
But it is only when we have come down from the mountain
and seen that person or cause him to die and rise from the dead
that we will be able to speak about what happened on the mountain
********************************************************
Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration
As we continue our Lenten journey towards Easter, we recall today the experience of the first disciples on their journey to the first Easter in Jerusalem. On a high mountain they beheld for a moment the glory of Jesus and heard the Father’s voice saying, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him.‘ Let us now reflect that, forgiven our sins, we may behold Christ’s glory in this celebration, and let us ask the Spirit to help us hear Christ’s voice in our lives.
Homily Notes
1. Each year at the beginning of Lent Christian agencies devoted to the relief of poverty or for the promotion of justice and peace invest a great deal of effort and resources to produce information packs on how relatively affluent communities in the developed world can assist in their work. This information is often treated as if it belonged to a parallel universe when it comes to announcing the lenten call to repentance. However, such a separation between doing good in the world and personal penitence and renewal is based on a distinction that is foreign to the Good News. If God offers us the possibility of new life through his forgiveness, then we on the earthly plane have to be offering new life to all who are deprived. One cannot wish to belong to the new creation brought about by Christ’s death and resurrection without being concerned about those for whom this creation is full of suffering. Likewise, one cannot be sorry for personal sins without recognising that we may live within systems in society or the economic world which are as much at odds with God’s plan for the universe as a life of personal debauchery.
2. There is, of course, a strong lobby that believes that Christian faith is a purely personal matter, either on a purely ‘spiritual’ plane, or that its morality only has application at a personal level. Thus ‘religion should stay out of politics’ or ‘church people should not meddle in economics’ or Voltaire’s desire that religion be confined to his wife, his servants, and his tradesmen so that there would be a suitable fear to keep them in check. However, Christian faith cannot accept these reductions, for our faith is that God is creator of all, of every single scrap of matter, and the whole creation is reconciled in Christ, and we are a people who must act morally at every level. Hence, the social teachings of the church, and the constant stream of teachings from the magisterium on social justice and development – summed up succinctly by Paul VI as ‘development is another word for peace’ or ‘if you want peace work for justice.’3. In order to link these endeavours from agencies working for justice and development with the liturgy of the church as church – i.e. at the Eucharist – you could replace the homily today by going through whatever pack has been given out in your congregation this Lent. Noting the statistics it gives, noting how it is seeking to alleviate suffering, and repeating what it sees as the help it needs from people in the developed world.
***************************************************
Sean Goan
Gospel notes: Mark 9:2-10
The gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent each year is the account of the transfiguration of Jesus. In Mark we have just passed the half way point and Jesus has revealed to the disciples that he is the Messiah but he wishes them to come to understand this not in terms of glory and esteem but in being faithful to God’s will and so he has mentioned to them for the first time that he will have to endure his passion in Jerusalem. Peter is appalled at the idea but Jesus does not shrink from telling him that those who want to follow must take up their cross. This is the background to today’s gospel. Peter, James and John who were present at the raising of the daughter of Jairus (chapter 6) are now invited up the mountain where they behold him quite literally in a whole new light. At this key moment of revelation of who he really is they are invited to ‘listen to him‘. However, as the story continues we learn that they are poor listeners and they fail to take on board his message of the self-emptying love of the kingdom.The next time these three are invited to come aside with him is at the foot of a mountain, the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane, and there too Jesus is revealed to them, not in glory but in suffering and, because they have not listened, they will run away.
Gospel Reflection Mark 9:2-9
Lent is a time for letting go and these readings make the point very well.
If we are to come to know Cod and the meaning of real love, then we must learn to let go of our certainties and insisting on having things our own way. Abraham and Jesus both learned to entrust everything into the hands of God the Father, even when this appeared to lead to the end of everything they had hoped for. God in Jesus would have us understand that he is with us in every moment of our lives and each moment, whether at the top of the mountain or in Gethsemane, is sacred. If we are to understand this, we must develop the art of doing what the Father has asked us and that is the art of listening, really listening to his Son.***********************************************
Donal Neary SJ
Radiant Light
Jesus heard at the Transfiguration that he was beloved! We all want to know that someone would say they love us.
We are all the time God’s favoured ones – it’s ourselves that miss out on it. We live in the big wide world of God’s love, and Jesus on Tabor was allowing himself be loved in the radiant light of God, shining even in the cloud.
Together we are loved as Peter, James and John were loved in community. Light is caught from one to the other. We are the light of Tabor Mountain for each other. All are loved. The one I like and don’t like! The radiant body of Christ was hammered and killed later by ourselves. Love killed at Calvary rose again. Love cannot die.
We can transfigure or disfigure each other. We can bring out the light and the hope and the joy in our belonging to God!We can transfigure a school, a parish, a community any group by first of all our being loved by God and letting love go out. If we really believe we are loved by God then the world we live in is transfigured, changed.
In the light of the cross, the sign of our faith, the way we are saved.
****
FROM THE CONNECTIONS:
Throughout Israel's history, God revealed his presence to Israel in the form of a cloud (for example, the column of cloud that led the Israelites in the desert during the Exodus -- Exodus 15). On the mountain of the transfiguration, God again speaks in the form of a cloud, claiming the transfigured Jesus as his own Son.
Returning down the mountain, Jesus urges the three not to tell of what they had seen, realizing that their vision would confirm the popular misconception of an all powerful, avenging Messiah. The mission of Jesus the Messiah means the cross and resurrection, concepts Peter and the others still do not grasp.
Love that calls us beyond ourselves is transforming. In the transforming love of Christ the Messiah-Servant, we can “transfigure” despair into hope, sadness into joy, anguish into healing, estrangement into community.
The glorious Christ of the Transfiguration will soon become the Crucified Christ of Good Friday. Accepting the God of blessing is easy, but when that God becomes the God of suffering who asks us to give readily and humbly to others and to forgive one another without limit or condition, then we begin to insulate ourselves from the relationship God invites us to embrace. In risking the pain and demands of loving one another as Christ has loved us, the divinity we recognize in the Jesus of the Transfiguration becomes for us the eternal life of the Jesus of Easter.
One morning, the fish were startled by a sudden splash. An amazing, brightly colored fish had jumped into their riverside puddle. Its golden scales were luminous in the few rays of light that managed to shine through the muddy water.
“Who are you?” one of the puddle fish asked. “And what are you doing here?”
The luminous fish smiled, “I come from the sea!”
“The sea? What’s the sea?
“No one ever told you about the sea? Why the sea is what fish are made for. Fish needn’t swim in circles all day and fight over a few bugs. In the sea, fish can dance on the tides of crystal clear water! And there is abundance for all!”
A pale, gray puddle fish spoke up: “But how do we get to the sea?”
“All you have to do is follow me to the river and trust that the current will take you to the sea.”
One of the pond fish, the realist fish, swam forward with a hard, experienced look in his eye: “Talk of the ‘sea’ is fine — but we have to face reality. We know this pond. We know how to hunt for water bugs. We can survive here.”
“But you don’t understand,” the luminous fish said. “I come from the sea. I’ve been there. It’s far more wonderful than you can imagine . . . ” But the realist fish snickered and swam away.
The nervous fish then worked up the courage to speak. “Do you mean we’re supposed to jump into that big river?” the nervous fish stammered.
“Yes, the way lies through the river,” the luminous fish explained. “Trust me . . . ”
But the nervous fish scurried away before the luminous fish could finish.
The professorial fish then interjected, “Our distinguished visitor’s proposal deserves consideration. Perhaps we could hold a series of seminars over the next several days and study the impact this will have . . . ”
The eyes of the luminous fish grew sad. “No, this is a matter of faith. You jump and trust the river will take you to the sea. Will you follow me?”
A few fish, including a very old fish who refused to give up the dream of better things and a young fish who dared to hope in new things, trusted the luminous fish and jumped as he showed them how. And the current swept them to an exciting new life in the great sea.
But most of the fish continued swimming in circles, hunting and fighting over water bugs.
***
Fr. Tony Kadavil:
1: “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” There
is a mysterious story in 2 Kings that can help us understand what is happening
in the transfiguration. Israel is at war with Aram, and Elisha, the man of God,
is using his prophetic powers to reveal the strategic plans of the Aramean army
to the Israelites. At first the King of Aram thinks that one of his officers is
playing the spy, but when he learns the truth, he dispatches troops to go and
capture Elisha who is residing in Dothan. The Aramean troops move in under
cover of darkness and surround the city. In the morning Elisha’s servant is the
first to discover that they are surrounded and fears for his master’s safety.
He runs to Elisha and says, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” The prophet
answers “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are
with them.” But who would believe that when the surrounding mountainside was
covered with advancing enemy troops? So Elisha prays, “O Lord, open his eyes so
he may see.” Then the Lord opens the servant’s eyes, and he looks and sees the
hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kings
6:8-23). This vision was all that Elisha’s disciple needed to reassure him. At
the end of the story, not only was the prophet of God safe but the invading
army was totally humiliated. (Fr. Munacci). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
2: Transformation from pro-choice to pro-life: Dr.
Peggy Hartshorn, president of Heartbeat International, tells a
dramatic story about a woman who glimpsed the mystery of her unborn child. The
young woman was seeking an abortion. She simply could not handle having a baby
at this time. But she agreed to an ultrasound. When the baby appeared on the
screen, the woman was amazed to see the perfectly formed body, the tiny legs
and arms moving inside her womb. But the woman kept saying, “No, no, I have to
have an abortion.” Dr. Hartshorn felt sad. She knew that seventy-five percent
of women who see an ultrasound decide to keep their baby – but that a quarter,
nevertheless, still have the abortion. It seemed like this woman would be in
that twenty-five percent. All of sudden, Dr. Hartshorn’s assistant said, “Reach
out and take your baby’s hand.” Dr. Hartshorn thought, “Oh, gosh, why is she
saying that?” But the woman raised her hand and touched the monitor. As if by
some divine cue, the baby stretched out his arm to the exact place of his mom’s
hand. On the screen his tiny fingers met hers. She kept her baby. There is a
mystery inside each one of us – the mystery of the image of God. Today’s Gospel
tells us how three of the apostles saw a glimpse, a tiny glimpse, of who Jesus
was. That would transform them and sustain them through some dark moments
following Jesus’ arrest. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
3: “It’s kind of hard to explain.” A little boy
asked his mother, “Marriage makes you have babies, doesn’t it, Mom?” The mother
reluctantly answered her son, “Well, not exactly. Just because you are married
does not mean that you have a baby.” The boy continued his inquiry: “Then how
do you have babies?” His mother, not very enthusiastic about continuing,
answered, “It’s kind of hard to explain.” The boy paused and thought for a
moment. He then moved closer to Mom, looked her right in eye, and carefully
said, “You don’t really know how it works, do you, Mom?” (Pastor’s Story File,
October 1995; submitted by Jim Pearring, New Harbor Community Church, Benicia,
California). Believe it or not, this is one of the most dreaded Sundays in the
Christian year for folks who use the Lectionary for their preaching. Why?
Because it deals with the Transfiguration of Jesus. Generally, this is one of
those, “What does that mean and how am I supposed to explain that?” sort of
passages. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
4. “I got a better place in Jaffa.” A certain
missionary on a study trip to the Holy Land was visiting Jaffa (Joppa) where
Peter was residing when he baptized Cornelius (Acts 10). The breath-taking
beauty of this small seaside town was such that it inspired him to come up with
this joke: At the Transfiguration, Peter offered to build three tents, one for
Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. Jesus said, “And what about you,
Peter?” And Peter replies, “Don’t worry about me Lord, I got a better place in
Jaffa.”
5. Transformation in old age: Two old men are
chatting. One man says, “My friend, you must try this memory pill I’m taking. I
remember everything. It’s an amazing memory booster.” The other man says, “Sounds
wonderful. What is the name of the pill?” The first man says, “Hmm! The name of
the pill … Let’s see … Hmmm, what is the name of the flower produced on a
garden plant with thorns? It’s red … You give it on Valentine’s Day.” The other
man says, “A rose?” The first man says, “Yes, that’s right!” Then, calling for
his wife, he says, “Rose, what is the name of that pill which I take to boost
my memory?”
6. Lenten penance: An Irishman moves into a tiny
hamlet in County Kerry, walks into the pub and promptly orders three beers. The
bartender raises his eyebrows, but serves the man three beers, which he drinks
quietly at a table, alone and orders three more. As this continued every day
the bartender asked him politely, “The folks around here are wondering why you
always order three beers?” “It’s odd, isn’t it?” the man replies, “You see, I
have two brothers, and one went to America, and the other to Australia. We
promised each other that we would always order an extra two beers whenever we
drank.” Then, one day, the man comes in and orders only two
beers. As this continued for several days, the bartender approached
him with tears in his eyes and said, “Folks around here, me first of all, want
to offer condolences to you for the death of your brother. You know-the two
beers and all…” The man ponders this for a moment, and then replies with a
broad smile, “You’ll be happy to know that my two brothers are alive and well.
It’s just that I, myself, have decided to give up drinking for Lent. Now I am
drinking for the other two!”
25- Additional anecdotes:
1) “Lord, give me the grace for transformation.” The
word transfiguration means a change in form or appearance. Biologists call it
metamorphosis (derived from the Greek word metamorphoomai used
in Matthew’s Gospel), to describe the change that occurs when a
caterpillar becomes a butterfly. As children we might have curiously watched
the process of the caterpillar turning into a chrysalis and then bursting into
a beautiful Monarch butterfly. Fr. Anthony De Mello tells the story of such a
metamorphosis in the prayer life of an old man. “I was a revolutionary
when I was young and all my prayer to God was: ‘Lord, give me the grace to
change the world.’ As I approached middle age and realized that half of my life
was gone without changing a single soul, I changed my prayer to: ‘Lord, give me
the grace to change all those who come in contact with me; just my family and
friends and I shall be satisfied.’ Now that I am old and my days are numbered,
I have begun to see how foolish I have been. My one prayer now is: ’Lord, give
me the grace to change myself.’ If I had prayed for this right from the
start, I should not have wasted my life.” Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
2) “The March of the Ducks.” On the side of the
Peabody Hotel in Orlando, Florida, there is a cutout of a large duck
symbolizing what came to be known as “The March of the Ducks.” Each day at 11
a.m. and 5 p.m., the hotel people lay down a dazzling red carpet across the
lobby. Then one of John Phillip Sousa’s famous marches is played over the intercom.
Whereupon, ten ducks, in single file, march down the red carpet in perfect
harmony with the Sousa march. The ducks take a dip in the hotel fountain and
then march out again in single file, down the red carpet, keeping perfectly in
step with the beat of the music. For those who have witnessed “The March of the
Ducks,” it is an event so vivid and real and uplifting and fun-filled that it’s
difficult to find the right words to describe the wonder and the beauty of it —
much less try to convince someone that it is true. Today’s Gospel Lesson
describes an event called “transfiguration of Jesus” so wondrous and so
beautiful as to defy all description (Watch: http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=March+of+the+Peabody+ducks&um) Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
3) Transfiguration in children
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself. If a child lives
with acceptance and friendship,
he learns to find love in the world. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
4) Noah and the ark: Two men were standing in a
big city waiting shed on a rainy day trying to hire a taxicab, not an easy task
since it was raining very hard. One man turned to the other and started a
conversation which went as follows: First man: “If it keeps raining like this
we’ll all have to build an ark.”
Second man: “What’s an ark?”
First man: “You mean you haven’t heard about Noah and the
ark, and the great flood and all those animals?”Second man: “Look, my friend,
I’ve only been in town for a day, and I haven’t even had time to read a
newspaper.” Today’s Gospel Lesson includes Mark’s version of the
Transfiguration story. Did I hear someone ask, “What’s a Transfiguration?” Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
5) A Death That Gives Life: A few years ago, the
television and print media carried the story of a seven-year-old boy who died
in tragic circumstances while on vacation with his family in Italy. Armed
thieves, attempting to take the family’s car and valuables, waited in ambush in
the Italian countryside. As the car passed, the thieves sprayed a shower of
bullets at the vehicle. Although the family was able to escape, some of the
bullets had hit the young boy, while he slept in the back seat. A short time
later, the child was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. People were shocked
and outraged as the sad news was reported. But public outrage was soon replaced
by wonder and admiration. The boy’s family arranged that all of their son’s
vital organs be harvested and donated. As a result, the lives of eight
Italians, each of whom received one or more of the child’ healthy organs, were
forever changed. For some it meant being able to see again; for others death
was postponed because a young vital organ had replaced an aged, defective one.
Because organ donation was such a rarity in Italy, the gift of life was all the
more remarkable. This story reminds us of the death of another Son, whose dying
brought life to so many. It is the life-giving death of this other Son, namely,
Jesus, which is the focus of our Scripture readings for today. The moving
narrative of Abraham and Isaac which comprises today’s first reading (Genesis)
has been understood as an Old Testament type or prefiguring of God’s
willingness to offer Jesus as a sacrifice for human sin. (Sanchez Files). Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
6)”I have seen the face of the pilot.” Robert
Louis Stevenson tells the story about a ship that was in serious trouble in a
storm. A passenger on that ship, defying orders, made his way to the pilot, who
seeing the fear on the passenger’s face gave him a smile of assurance.
Relieved, the traveler returned to his cabin and said, “I have seen the face of
the pilot. He smiled, and all is well.” There are times in life when we need to
see our pilot face-to-face. That’s what happened in this mystical story that
the Church calls the Transfiguration of Christ. Peter, James and John were
there. Moses and Elijah showed up from the past. They had an experience that
was mystical and out of this world. “Turn you eyes upon Jesus/Look full in his
wonderful face,” sings the hymn. What would a glimpse of Christ himself mean to
you today? Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
7) Could your soul use a lift today? People pay
big money for radiant faces these days. Face-lifts are a thriving business. The
only problem is that the soul has a way of seeping through. Maxwell Maltz is a
plastic surgeon. He’s in the business of lifting people’s faces, but, Dr. Maltz
says, “Even though I get marvelous results, patients are often not happy. I
have come to realize that inner scars are much more difficult to remove than
outer ones.” Could your soul use a lift today? Have depression, difficulty,
duties and daily routines caused your soul to sag, your spirit to falter, your
heart to sink? Christ came to lift us. Our reflections on the transfigured
Christ will give us a spiritual lift. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
8) “I’ll fight, I’ll fight, I’ll fight to the very end.” William
Booth. He was a Methodist preacher, too, you know. “Willful Will” they called
him, but Booth became disillusioned with the political wrangling of the Methodists.
So, he left the church and started a Christian mission in the poverty-stricken
East Side of London that reached out to the worst. That Christian mission
became the Salvation Army, which declared war on poverty and homelessness. Or,
as William Booth said: “While women weep, as they do now. I’ll fight. While
children go hungry, as they do now, I’ll fight. While there remains one dark
soul without the light of God, I’ll fight, I’ll fight, I’ll fight to the very
end.” That was one hundred years ago. It seems like the kind of war all of us
could get behind, the war on poverty, the war on homelessness. Maybe it’s time
for another William Booth. If you have a heart, help us. Discipleship is a
matter of your heart. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, /Look full in His wonderful
face,” as Peter did on the mount of transfiguration. He’ll give you a lift.
He’ll give you a life. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
9) An army of green giants who kept on coming and coming. The
legendary football coach Knute Rockne knew the power of fear. Today we call it
“psyching out your opponent.” Notre Dame was facing a critical football game
against a vastly superior Southern California team. Rockne recruited every
brawny student he could find at Notre Dame and suited up about a hundred
“hulks” in the school uniform. On the day of the game the Southern California
team ran out on the field first and awaited the visiting Fighting Irish. Then,
out of the dressing room came an army of green giants who kept on coming and
coming. The USC team panicked. Their coach reminded them that Rockne could only
play eleven men at a time, but the damage was done. USC lost. They did not lose
to the hundred men. They were beaten by their own fear. [A. Philip Parham, Letting
God, (New York: Harper & Row). 3. W. Howard Chase in Vital
Speeches.] Today’s Gospel says: “[Peter] hardly knew what to say,
they were so terrified.” Witnessing the Transfiguration of Christ was
not the only time the disciples were fearful in Jesus’ presence. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
10) “Mountain-top experience” of Terry Anderson: Former
American hostage Terry Anderson recalls the Autumn before he was captured. For
some reason he felt drawn to an old church. It was 1984. Terry and his fiancée,
Madeleine, were visiting her father in Sunderland, England. Terry looked
forward to some peace and quiet from his hectic career as a journalist. He was
so dispirited that it took him some days to settle down, even in the pleasant
atmosphere of this English hamlet. As he walked through the streets with
Madeleine, inhaling the crisp air, he noticed a church steeple outlined against
the pale blue sky. Terry had been brought up in the Church but had drifted far
from God and, in his own words, considered himself an agnostic. That afternoon
he wondered why that Church had captured his attention. After a few days, he
decided to walk over to the
Church. He opened the heavy oaken door, stepped in and sat down in a worn pew.
Looking up at the altar and cross gleaming in the shadows, he suddenly had a
strong sense of coming home. He knew that was where he belonged. Terry
reaffirmed his Faith that day. For the next six months Terry wondered why he
had been drawn to that Church. He thought perhaps God was calling him to do
something, “but what?” he wondered. He was beginning to sense a closer
relationship with God, when one morning on a street in Beirut he was shoved at
gunpoint into the back of a green Mercedes. His face was pressed to the floor
and a blanket thrown over him as the car accelerated. The date was March 16,
1985. While in captivity Terry began reading the Bible. The Bible characters
came to life! He came to know them as living beings [“Small Graces,”
Terry Anderson, Guideposts (September 1993), p. 2-5.] Terry
Anderson found the strength to endure years of captivity because God was with
him. The “mountain-top experience” in the little English Church was preparation
for what lay ahead. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
11) “I meet God about one in every eight worship
services”: A young woman asked her older co-worker: “Why do you go to
Church every Sunday? Does something happen there that can’t happen somewhere
else? And does it happen every Sunday?” The older woman replied, “What happens
is I go to meet the God whom I’ve come to know in Jesus. God meets me in other
settings than at Church. However, I must confess that I’m sure I miss most of
God’s appointments with me. I find that I live most of my days in a daze – as
though I’m sleepwalking or on autopilot. I go to Church to be reminded that
that’s true.” The younger woman then asked, “So you go to Church every week and
God meets you there?” The older woman answered, “I go to Church every Sunday
and for reasons I can’t explain, I meet God about one in every eight worship
services.” The younger woman asked, “Then why do you go every Sunday?” “I go
every Sunday,” said the older woman, “because I never know when that one Sunday
is going to be.” Peter, John and James had that experience on the mountain of
transfiguration. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
12) Edmund Hillary and a Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay: Those
of us who are old enough certainly recall that amazing story of sixty-five
years ago, May 29, 1953. A New Zealand beekeeper named Edmund Hillary and a
Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, were the first ever to reach Everest’s summit.
Here was a mountain – unreachable, tantalizing, fearsome, deadly – that had
defeated 15 previous expeditions. Some of the planet’s strongest climbers had
perished on its slopes. For many, Everest represented the last of the earth’s
great challenges. The North Pole had been reached in 1909; the South Pole in
1911. But Everest, often called the Third Pole, had defied all human efforts –
reaching its summit seemed beyond mere mortals. (Don George, “A Man to Match
His Mountain,” http://www.salon.com/bc/1998/12/cov_01bc.html) Now, success. And
heightening the impact even further was the delicious coincidence of their
arrival just before the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and of the dramatic
announcement of their triumph on the morning of the coronation. A “mountain-top
experience”…literally. Today’s Gospel presents the “mountain-top experience” of
Peter, John and James.
13) Serve others after the “mountain-top experience”: In
Port Arthur, Texas, there is a special school for very sick children, most of
whom have few, if any, motor skills. One very sick boy lived at that school,
dying little by little. As tragic as that is, that’s not the point of the
story. Unfortunately, children get grievously ill every day. This little boy,
though, had the good fortune to be living in the same community with some
faithful believers who took the Transfiguration story as their own. God’s glory
lived in them. They carried it with them wherever they went. A group of these
folks joined together to go to this little boy every day and read to him. Since
he was slowly dying, unable to move or read for himself, their act of kindness
and ministry was the only activity that brought him any comfort. The social
workers were amazed. Just being read to by three different women, one every
day, transformed that boy. He was transformed from being depressed and
despondent into a responsive bright young man. And even though his spark of
life would soon leave him, it got brighter and brighter not dimmer. The boy
died, but his life had been forever changed. It had been transformed by the
ministry of these caring Christians. They had allowed the light of Christ to
shine through them. And a young boy’s life had been transformed. [The Clergy
Journal, Logos Productions Inc., Inver Grove Heights, MN, Vol. LXXIII,
Number 7, pp. 88.]. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
14) Moses’ flute: John Killinger tells the
legend about “the simple shepherd’s pipe once played by Moses when he kept his
father-in-law’s flocks. When the pipe was discovered, many years after Moses’
death, it was decided that it should be put on display for the benefit of his
admirers. But it looked far too common for such an important purpose, so
someone suggested that it be embellished by an artist. A few centuries later,
when the pipe was given a new home in an upscale museum, a committee said it
needed improving yet again. So another artist was employed to overlay it in
fine gold and silver filigree. The result, in the end, was a breathtaking piece
of art, a marvelous sight indeed. It was so beautiful, in fact, that no one
ever noticed that it was no longer capable of the clear, seductive notes once
played upon it by Moses.” [God, the Devil, and Harry Potter (New
York: Thomas Dunne, 2002), 162-3.] How do we tell what voices to listen to,
whose advice to take, what directives are important, and what we should just
let fall on deaf ears? In today’s Gospel text, the Divine Voice from the
enshrouding cloud offered Peter, James, and John simple, straightforward words:
“This is My Beloved Son; listen to Him.” The message and mission of Jesus was
to guide the disciples, informing all their actions, influencing all else they
heard. God’s proclamation to those three disciples is the same for all who
follow Christ today: Let Jesus be your high-tech hearing aid, filtering and
clarifying what you hear and how you respond. Listen to him. Or as Jesus put it
elsewhere, “Learn from Me.” Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
15) Baby powder: You might remember comedian
Yakov Smirnoff. When he first came to the United States from Russia, he was not
prepared for the incredible variety of instant products available in American
grocery stores. He says, “On my first shopping trip, I saw powdered milk: you
just add water, and you get milk. Then I saw powdered orange juice: you just
add water, and you get orange juice. And then I saw baby powder, and I thought
to myself, ‘What a country!’” Smirnoff is joking but we make these assumptions
about Christian Transformation—that people change instantly at salvation. Some
denominations make Christianity so simple: accept Jesus as your Lord and
Savior, confess your sins to him, you are instantly saved and born again. Some
traditions call it repentance and renewal. Some call it Sanctification of the
believer. Whatever you call it, most traditions expect some quick fix to sin.
We go to Church as if we are going to the grocery store: Powdered Christian. Just
add water and you get disciples! Unfortunately, there is no such powder, and
disciples of Jesus Christ are not instantly born. They are slowly raised
through many trials, suffering, and temptations. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
16) “Well, what is it?” H.G. Wells once told a
fascinating story about an Episcopalian bishop, though he could have been a
cleric in any denomination. He was the kind of man who could always be counted
on to provide a pious platitude. He had a favorite answer that always served
him in good stead. When troubled folks came to him, he would assume his best
stained-glass voice and ask, “Have you prayed about it?” If said in just the
right way, no more needed to be said. The bishop himself didn’t pray much.
After all, his life was quite uneventful. He felt quite self-sufficient. One
day, however, life tumbled in on him, and he found himself overwhelmed. It
occurred to the bishop that maybe he should take some of his own advice. So, one
Saturday afternoon he entered the cathedral. He knelt down and folded his hands
before the altar. He could not help but think how childlike he was. Then he
began to pray, “O God….” Suddenly there was a voice. It was crisp,
businesslike. The voice said, “Well, what is it?” When the worshipers came to
Sunday services the next morning, they found the bishop sprawled face down
before the altar. When they turned him over, they discovered he was dead. Lines
of horror were etched upon his face. The good bishop had advised others to
approach God in prayer, but when he found himself face to face with the
Almighty, it scared him literally to death, as Christ’s Transfiguration scene
scared the three apostles. (Haddon Robinson, Preaching Today). Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
17) Transformation of a young man with a sense of duty: Years
ago, in a small fishing village in Holland one night, the winds raged, and a
gale force storm capsized a fishing boat at sea. Stranded and in trouble,
the crew sent out the S.O.S. The captain of the rescue rowboat team sounded the
alarm. While the team launched their rowboat, and fought their way through
the wild waves, the villagers waited restlessly on the beach. An hour later,
the rescue boat reappeared through the fog and the volunteers reported that the
rescue boat could not hold any more passengers and they had to leave one man
behind. Frantically, the captain called for another volunteer team to go after
the lone survivor. Sixteen-year-old Hans stepped forward. His mother grabbed
his arm, pleading, “Please don’t go. Your father died in a shipwreck 10 years
ago and your older brother, Paul, has been lost at sea for three weeks. Hans,
you are all I have left.” Hans replied, “Mother, I have to go. What if everyone
said, `I can’t go; let someone else do it?’ Mother, this time I have to do my
duty.” Hans kissed his mother, joined the team and disappeared into the night.
Another hour passed, which seemed to Hans’ mother like an eternity. Finally,
the rescue boat darted through the fog with Hans standing up in the bow.
Cupping his hands, the captain called, “Did you find the lost man?” Barely able
to contain himself, Hans excitedly yelled back, “Yes, we found him. Tell my
mother it’s my older brother, Paul!” (Fr. Botelho). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
18) Transfigured by Jesus: One of the things
that impressed me most when I first read the story of Fatima was that the
children went into a trance once Our Lady appeared, and nothing anybody around
them could do was able to distract them. You could stick pins in their fingers,
or hold a burning candle to their hands, and they remained totally oblivious to
it all. It is evident that, once they got in touch with that other world, it
was all absorbing, and it was the centre of their faces, and a light in their
eyes that amazed all those who watched. That expression was also evident on the
face of Saint Padre Pio as he offered Mass or prayed on his own. It is not
surprising, then, that the apostles should have been given this glimpse of
Jesus. (Jack McArdle in And That the Gospel Truth; quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
19) Pigeon Feathers: John Updike wrote a short
story called “Pigeon Feathers.” It’s about a young boy, David, who begins to
have doubts about his Faith. One night in bed David is thinking about his
problem. Suddenly he decides upon a bold experiment. He takes his hands from
under the covers, lifts them above his head, and asks Jesus to touch them. As
David waits breathlessly, he thinks he feels something touch his hands; he is
not sure if they have been touched or not. We can all relate to David in this
scene. We too experience times when our Faith seems to disappear or go behind a
cloud. When this happens, we long desperately for a sign that God is real and
that Jesus is the Son of God. Or to put it in another way, we long for a sign
of Jesus’ glory, like the one Peter, James and John received in today’s Gospel.
May we call upon His power and presence when put to the test! (Mark Link in
Sunday Homilies; quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
20) Transformation of a frog into prince: The word
“transfiguration” is not often part of our vocabulary today. I can’t image a
mother coming to the table with a beautifully done casserole proclaiming that
she had “transformed” the macaroni into this exotic dish. We might use it if
someone goes to the beauty shop and gets a daring haircut. “Look how
transformed she is!” we might say. Or we might use it in telling fairy tales to
our children – someone was transformed into a princess-like Cinderella or a frog
was transformed into a Prince. But despite the fact that it isn’t a common word
to use, what the word signifies does happen pretty often. Something is changed
into something more beautiful or altered in some way, making it more “awesome”
to use today’s cliché. Lent is a transformational season in the Church. This
is, of course, why we hear the story of the Transfiguration read to us today.
(Fr. Ron Stephens). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
21) Victim or Victor: Charles Rayburn has been a
victim of cerebral palsy since his birth. His only means of communication is an
electric typewriter which he strikes with a stylus attached to a band around
his head. In spite of his palsy, Charles Rayburn has published 37 articles in
national magazines. One of his articles appeared in America magazine
and dealt with the Stations of the Cross. Charles Rayburn is a living example
of today’s reading about Isaac and Jesus. These three figures and the three
readings are tied together by a triple theme –the theme of Sonship, Death and
Deliverance. (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds; quoted by Fr.
Botelho). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
22) “Listen to Him!” Perhaps you have heard
of the man who wanted to test his wife’s hearing. He stood some distance behind
her and said, “Honey, can you hear me?” Having received no answer, he moved
closer and again whispered, “Honey, can you hear me?” Again, having received no
answer he moved right up behind her and softly said, “Honey can you hear me?”
She replied, “For the third time, yes!” – In some ways this story could be
analogous of our communication with God. We constantly check to see if He is
listening, in hopes that He will respond to our needs. In reality, He hears us,
but He has asked us to listen to Him as well. Lent should be a listening time
for each of us. When we learn to listen, our lives become obedient lives. At
the close of the transfiguration scene described in today’s Gospel the three
apostles hear the word of God from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son,
listen to him.” (John Pichappilly in The Table of the Word; quoted by Fr.
Botelho). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
23) No Cross, No Crown: Arthur Ashe, the
legendary Afro-American Wimbledon player was dying of cancer. He received
letters from his fans, worldwide, one of which read: “Why did God select you
for such a dreadful disease?” Ashe replied, “The world over, 5 crore children
start playing tennis, 50 lakhs learn the game, 5 lakh turn professional, 50,000
come to the circuit, 5,000 reach Grand Slams, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to the
semifinals, 2 to the finals. When I won the Wimbledon crown, I never asked God,
“Why me?” Today, in pain, I shouldn’t be asking God, ‘Why me?’” Wimbledon
crown, cancer cross. That’s Christianity! That is why Jesus reminds his three
apostles about his death and Resurrection immediately after his glorious
transfiguration. (Francis Gonsalves in Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds; quoted by
Fr. Botelho). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
24) “I’ve been to the mountaintop.” Shortly
before he was gunned down by an assassin in Memphis, Tennessee, Martin Luther
King (1929-1968) told the assembled crowds, “We’ve got some difficult days
ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop.
And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has
its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will.
And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. . . And I’m happy tonight. I’m
not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the
glory of the coming of the Lord.”It was his vision of a better future and his
conviction that equal freedom would one day be enjoyed by all Americans that
enabled King to have hope when death-threats against him seemed to imperil not
only his life but the entire civil rights movement. After King’s death, his
experience of the mountaintop inspired his followers to continue his work, just
as Jesus’ disciples looked to the mountain top experience of Jesus’ transfiguration
and were strengthened to further his mission. (Sanchez Files). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
25) In sacrifice, the gift-giver is the primary beneficiary of gift-giving. To see this point, consider Maximilian Kolbe, who sacrificed his life for Franciszek Gajowniczek at Auschwitz.The Nazis had randomly selected 10 prisoners to die, and Franciszek Gajowniczek was one of them. When he was picked, he cried out, “Oh, my poor wife! My poor children! I will never see them again!” But Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward and offered to take Franciszek’s place. Kolbe knew that the selected prisoners would be slowly starved to death in a dark and airless bunker. But Kolbe offered his life for that of his fellow prisoner anyway. Witnesses reported afterwards that Kolbe prayed and sang hymns until the end when his voice failed. In his sacrifice, Kolbe became a person in whom the beauty of love shone so brightly that his story now illumines all who hear about it. He gave his life to give life to Franciszek, but he himself received far more than he gave. Who would not want to be as lovely a soul as Kolbe was? And so God, who lacks for nothing, is glad to have the gift of our sacrifices, not because he gets something great from them, but because we do.(Prof. Eleonore Stump) Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
****
Fr. Jude Botelho:
Dear Friend,
There are times in our lives when God seems to be asking us to make difficult and cruel choices, almost impossible ones! How can God be asking something difficult from us? Why can’t He be reasonable? If only we could have the ecstasy without the agony! Yet we all know that in life there is no escaping from the difficult situations that come our way. Only our faith and our love can transfigure our crosses.
Reflection |
| In the first reading we are told that God put Abraham to the test by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Surely God could not be asking such an unreasonable thing? After all, this son Isaac, was given to him as a promise. How could God go back on his promise? The other question we could ask is: How and why was Abraham so ready to comply? The only answer to these questions is the tremendous faith of Abraham and the passionate love of God, who rejected the practice of human sacrifice. God spared Isaac and instead provided the lamb of sacrifice. Although God spared the only son of Abraham, He did not intervene to spare His own son Jesus Christ. Victim or Victor Charles Rayburn has been a victim of cerebral palsy since his birth. His only means of communication was an electric typewriter which he strikes with a stylus attached to a band around his head. In spite of his palsy, Charles Rayburn has published 37 articles in national magazines. One of his articles appeared in America magazine and dealt with the Stations of the Cross. Charles Rayburn is a living example of today’s reading about Isaac and Jesus. These three figures and the three readings are tied together by a triple theme –the theme of Sonship, Death and Deliverance. Albert Cylwicki in ‘His Word Resounds’ In today’s gospel the account of the transfiguration gives us some insight into the mystery of Jesus, Son of God. The transfiguration is an epiphany story. This is the earliest epiphany story about Jesus, where the veil is lifted and his apostles were given a glimpse of his future glory. The chief significance of this event was for Jesus himself. It was meant to confirm him in the course he had undertaken. But it also benefited the apostles, and it is this that Mark emphasizes. On the mountain Elijah and Moses appeared to them representing the prophets and the law respectively. Thus Jesus is seen as bringing the law and the prophets to fulfillment. We do not know what exactly happened on that mountain but it seems Jesus had an intense experience of the presence of God. He heard those marvelous words: “You are my beloved Son.” On Tabor Jesus felt comforted and affirmed. He knew that the Father was pleased with him and would give him all the strength he would need to face whatever lay ahead. With God on his side he could face anything. At times, life could be dark for us and we too need to hear those reassuring words: “You are my son the beloved, my favour rests on you.” People from time to time do affirm us, but their affirmation is conditional. “You are good but you need to change your behavior”! “You are good but only if you live up to my expectations!” Only God affirms us exactly as he affirmed his son Jesus. With him there are no terms and conditions even if we are sinners and have failed him. We will always remain the well beloved sons and daughters of God. On that mountain the Father affirmed Jesus and that same Father is waiting for us to come to him to be affirmed as his well beloved sons and daughters. Our problem is that as soon as we run into trouble our faith fails us. We think that God has abandoned us. But if we pray we will realize that God has not abandoned us, He is always with us. Like Jesus on Tabor we too can experience being affirmed by God, we too can be transformed by the power of his Spirit, if only we let Him into our lives. “Pigeon Feathers” John Updike wrote a short story called “Pigeon Feathers.” It’s about a young boy, David, who begins to have doubts about his faith. One night in bed David is thinking about his problem. Suddenly he decides upon a bold experiment. He takes his hands from under the covers, lifts them above his head, and asks Jesus to touch them. As David waits breathlessly, he thinks he feels something touch his hands; not sure if they have been touched or not. We can all relate to David in this scene. We too experience times when our faith seems to disappear or go behind a cloud. When this happens, we long desperately for a sign that God is real and that Jesus is the Son of God. Or to put it in another way, we long for a sign of Jesus’ glory, like the one Peter, James and John received in today’s gospel. Mark Link in ‘Sunday Homilies’ You are my beloved! You probably have heard of Jean Vanier who set up communities for the mentally handicapped. He tells us that in one of those communities there was a man named Pierre. One day someone asked, “Pierre, do you like praying?” “Yes,” he answered. “And what do you do when you pray?” “I listen,” answered Pierre. “And what does God say to you, Pierre?” And this was his touching reply, “Pierre, you are my beloved son.” Jean Vanier “Listen to Him!” Perhaps you have heard of the man who wanted to test his wife’s hearing. He stood some distance behind her and said, “Honey, can you hear me?” Having received no answer he moved closer and again whispered, “Honey, can you hear me?” Again having received no answer he moved right up behind her and softly said, “Honey can you hear me?” She replied, “For the third time, yes!” – In some ways this story could be analogous of our communication with God. We constantly check to see if he is listening in hopes that he will respond to our needs. In reality, he hears us, but he has asked us to listen to him as well. Lent should be a listening time for each of us. When we learn to listen, our lives become obedient lives. John Pichappilly in ‘The Table of the Word’ No Cross, No Crown Arthur Ashe, the legendary Afro-American Wimbledon player was dying of cancer. He received letters from his fans, worldwide, one of which read: “Why did God select you for such a dreadful disease?” Ashe replied, “The world over, 5 crore children start playing tennis, 50 lakhs learn the game, 5 lakh turn professional, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5,000 reach Grand Slams, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to the semifinals, 2 to the finals. When I won the Wimbledon crown, I never asked God, “Why me?” Today, in pain, I shouldn’t be asking God, “Why me?” Wimbledon crown, cancer cross. That’s Christianity! Francis Gonsalves in ‘Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds’ Keeping the Commandments Once there was a very sincere man who wished to live a holy life. So he went to his rabbi to seek his advice. The rabbi congratulated him on his ambition, then asked, ‘How have you been faring so far?’ ‘Quite well, I think,’ the man replied. ‘When you say well what do you mean?’ the rabbi asked. ‘I haven’t broken any of the commandments,’ the man replied. ‘I haven’t taken the Lord’s name in vain. I haven’t killed anyone. I haven’t dishonored my father or mother. I haven’t killed anyone. I haven’t been unfaithful to my wife. I haven’t stolen. I haven’t borne false witness against anyone. And I haven’t coveted my neighbor's wife or goods.’ ‘I see,’ said the rabbi. ‘So you haven’t broken any of the commandments.’ ‘That’s right, the man replied with pride. ‘But have you kept the commandments?’ the rabbi asked. ‘What do you mean?’ said the man. ‘I mean have you honored God’s holy name? Have you kept holy the Sabbath day? Have you loved and honored your parents? Have you sought to preserve and defend life? When last did you tell your wife that you loved her? Have you shared your goods with the poor? Have you defended the good name of anyone? When last did you put yourself out to help a neighbor?’ The man was taken aback. But to his credit he went away and reflected on what the rabbi had said. He realized that up to this he had been merely intent on avoiding wrong-doing. It’s surprising how many people think this is the highest criterion of virtue. But the rabbi offered him a new vision of goodness – not merely to avoid evil, but to do good. Up to now he had a negative concept of goodness. He had given him a new and better compass to guide him, a new and more challenging path to follow. Flor McCarthy in ‘Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies’ The Father’s beloved The story is told of a sister at the shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre in Quebec. She saw a distraught mother carrying a tiny child and she went to meet her. The woman had come a great distance with the child, the only one she could ever have, she thought, and now he had an affliction which the doctors said was incurable. The only hope was a miracle, and she had brought the child to St. Anne’s to pray for that. The sister accompanied the mother to the shrine. “As we prayed” the sister said, “I witnessed the struggle and rebellion of this woman refusing to give up her child. Her suffering was terrible to see. Yet the miracle came. But it came to the mother, not the child. When she left I knew she had offered her child back to God and surrendered him as a gift. A few weeks later the news came that the child died. But the following Christmas there came a card with the picture of a beautiful baby boy, whom the mother had named Michael, the same name she had given to her first son. And the mother wrote: “Now I have a son in heaven and a son Michael to give me joy on earth.” Emeric Lawrence in ‘Daily Meditations for Lent’ |
From Sermons.com
You might remember comedian Yakov Smirnoff. When he first came to the United States from Russia he was not prepared for the incredible variety of instant products available in American grocery stores. He says, "On my first shopping trip, I saw powdered milk -- you just add water, and you get milk. Then I saw powdered orange juice -- you just add water, and you get orange juice. And then I saw baby powder, and I thought to myself, "What a country!"
Smirnoff is joking but we make these assumptions about Christian Transformation - that people change instantly at salvation. Some traditions call it repentance and renewal. Some call it Sanctification of the believer. Whatever you call it most traditions expect some quick fix to sin. According to this belief, when someone gives his or her life to Christ, there is an immediate, substantive, in-depth, miraculous change in habits, attitudes, and character. We go to church as if we are going to the grocery store: Powdered Christian. Just add water and disciples are born not made.
Unfortunately, there is no such powder and disciples of Jesus Christ are not instantly born. They are slowly raised through many trials, suffering, and temptations. A study has found that only 11 percent of churchgoing teenagers have a well-developed faith, rising to only 32 percent for churchgoing adults. Why? Because true-life change only begins at salvation, takes more than just time, is about training, trying, suffering, and even dying (adapted from James Emery White, Rethinking the Church, Baker, 1997, p. 55-57).
Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked him. Why? Peter believes the kingdom of God can be obtained instantly by force. Peter has a worldly view of the Kingdom and Jesus is speaking about a heavenly kingdom. For a moment I would like you to listen to this story with new ears and see Jesus through the eyes of Peter and the rest of the disciples. Get rid of all your notions about who Jesus is. Take away from your mind Jesus as the Son of God. Strip from your memory that he died on the Cross and that he did that for your sins. Forget that Jesus ever said love your enemies or love your neighbor.
Now I want you to think of Jesus only as a military leader. Imagine that your country has been invaded and is being ruled by godless men. Sense, now, that the tension is mounting and you are about to go into battle. That you are about to conduct a coup d'etat. That you and this band of ruffians are going to attempt to overthrow this government by a sudden violent strike. That the odds are stacked against you but you have a very strong belief that God is on your side despite the overwhelming odds.
Now you are thinking like Peter...
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There are two kinds of dogs in this world (not people this time!). There are the dogs who eat everything and anything - toss them a bit of anything, meat, cauliflower, mushrooms, shoe leather - and it will be snapped out of the sky and scarfed down without hesitation.
"I'm having difficulty with the Gospel this week; what is this cross that I am to take up, and what am I to deny in following Jesus?"
Another Pastor, a student minister in the United States wrote:
"I find this a hard gospel text because it talks about suffering rather than joy."
The cross has always caused problems to people. Brutal and barbaric - the
cross was a tool of political power for the Romans. They maintained their
power because of the fear of death on the cross.
When one was condemned by the state, the condemned literally had to "take
up his cross" and carry it to the public place where he was to be crucified. It was part of the humiliation process, the mechanism of social control for which crucifixion was invented.
The cross was an instrument of suffering and shame - and no more so than among the Children of Israel - where the scriptures themselves declare: "cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree".
To die on a cross was a sign that one died cut off from God, and cut off from the people of God - a sign that the person was rejected. And of course in the case of Jesus this was very true.
Richard J. Fairchild, If Anyone Would Follow Me
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"I am no longer my own but Thine, put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt, put me to doing, put me to suffering, let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal."
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we'd do well to pray with Wesley and be reminded that we're not free to follow the dictates of our own sinful nature; we're free to surrender our wills to the will of God and to submit ourselves to the authority of Jesus Christ.
Philip W. McLarty, The Cost of Discipleship
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Billy Graham poses the question this way: "When Jesus said, 'if you are going to follow me, you have to take up a cross,' it was the same as saying, 'Come and bring your electric chair with you. Take up the gas chamber and follow me.' He did not have a beautiful gold cross in mind - the cross on a church steeple or on the front of your Bible. Jesus had in mind a place of execution."
Gary Weston, Hard Truths
Robert A. Noblett, Sermons for Sundays in Lent and Easter, CSS Publishing Company
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Sermon Closer: We Have a Choice to Transform
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IT WAS THERE ALL ALONG
I remember a time when I had misplaced my good pen and I was looking for it everywhere. I looked in drawers. I looked under things, behind things and in things. I looked on the floor, but it was nowhere. And then I found it. I was holding it in my mouth the whole time.
That is the way that life often is. We miss things that have been there the whole time. It is like when I was in college and my wife was on campus the whole year, but I never really saw her. Then one day, I SAW her. She had been there the whole time, but one day I actually saw her in my world. And she has been in my world ever since.
That is the story of the Transfiguration. Jesus showed his disciples a part of the world that had been there all along, but it had not really been a part of their world. They were bewildered, astonished and trembling with fear when they saw and understood that heaven was already here in their world and that Jesus was the King of heaven.
