Saturday, February 20, 2016

2nd Sunday of Lent Year C -2016

May the Peace of Christ reign in our Hearts.

Do you remember when you met your husband or your wife?
Do you remember when you started to wonder if this was going to be something extra special?

Remember how your heart beat a little quicker?

Do you remember when he proposed and she walked down the aisle?

Do you remember when you held your first child for the first time?

Of course you do.

You remember all of those things because they were special moments in your life.

Everyone has special moments whether you are married or single, young or old, we all have special moments which warm our heart and bring a smile to our face.

And sometimes when the waves of life get a little rough
sometimes when we just seem overwhelmed,
we look back to those moments
and we hold onto them because they give us comfort and hope.

Yesterday I went to anoint an elderly man his wife was their and still pretty spry. The first thing she did was take me by the hand and show me a picture of her wedding 67 years ago. And they she said with a tear in her eye it was a wonderful day and it has been a wonderful life.

We don’t really know where the Transfiguration happened. Tradition says it happened on Mount Tabor in Israel but the scriptures never give the place.

We know that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

We know that Jesus had just foretold that he would have to suffer and die.

And while they didn’t really understand the Apostles, were probably sad and confused.

And so it is in this context that  Jesus took Peter, James and John up a mountain and he gave them a glimpse of his glory.

He allowed them to see and experience for the briefest moment the glory of his divinity.

And he did this so that later when everything seemed to be falling apart
they would have a special moment an incredible memory to hold onto.

The disciples never forgot what happened that day on the mountain and no doubt this is what Jesus intended.

John would later write, “We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only” (John 1:14).

In his second letter Peter also wrote of it, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.’

Peter James and John eventually shared the experience of the Transfiguration with the other disciples, and we know about it today because of their witness.

Hopefully there are also special moments in our relationship with God.

That day we received our first communion or confirmation,
that time we went to Mass and it seemed that the priest was talking just to us, that retreat we made.
That special moment when we went to a quiet church during the week and felt God’s presence.

Maybe, it was that special confession when we experienced for the first time the loving tenderness of God’s mercy.

God knows that there will be moments of struggle in our lives.
God know that we will have our doubts.

God wants us to have memories to hold onto when struggles come so God wants to give us special moment to hold on too.

Sometimes people tell me. Father I can’t remember experience God presence in my life.

It’s important to remember that Peter James and John would never have witnessed the Transfiguration if they had not walked up the mountain.

They didn’t say the mountain is to high,
They didn’t say I have something else I have to do etc.
Jesus called and they followed.

In order for us to have these special moments or mountain moments
We have to open our hearts to him.

We have to be willing to get to know him just like you had to slowly open your hearts to the person God gave you to love.

If you saw your future wife/husband but you never said anything to him or her
and you didn't’ take the risk and make the effort to get to know them
your whole life would be different.

It’s the same with our relationship with God

Lent is the perfect time to give God a little more of our lives.
To go a little deeper in our faith
To sacrifice a little more and concentrate on the needs of others a little more

If we let God near to our hearts and follow him up the mountain like Peter James and John our lives will never be the same.

The message of the Transfiguration is simple.

Jesus wants us to see His glory the choice is ours.

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