Daily Retreat 03/04/07
2007 Mar 4: SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Gn 15: 5-12. 17-18/ Ps 26(27): 1. 7-8. 8-9. 13-14/ Phil 3: 17- 4: 1/ Lk 9: 28b-36
From today’s readings: “Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.... The Lord is my light and my salvation.... Our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.... Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray....”
More than expected
Every so often, I'll come across an antique store with an item in the window that I find really appealing. I stop to take a closer look, and I fancy to myself, "That old lantern (or whatever) is probably worth twice as much as the dealer is charging." Now, I'm not a collector, and I hate a cluttered room, so inevitably I'll talk myself out of buying any such curiosities. But as I walk away from the window, there's always a certain dread that tomorrow morning I'm going to read in the paper about some lucky townsman who bought Paul Revere's lantern for $5 at that same antique shop.
We all have that hope that something we have will turn out to be worth far more than we thought. Maybe it's a family heirloom we're holding on to, or perhaps it's the '63 station wagon that's still sitting there in the garage because we're sure it will be a collector's item someday, or the rusted basketball hoop we hope may prove to somehow be associated with Michael Jordan. There's always that hope that someday we will be justified for holding onto something that at first glance might not seem all that valuable.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus was revealed as being far more than whom Peter, James, and John had thought Him to be. They had been drawn to follow Him because they saw Him as a teacher, as a charismatic holy man, as a prophet, and as a miracle worker. Peter had even dared to recognize Him once as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God," but neither he nor any of the other disciples understood what that truly entailed.
But Jesus chose to reveal Himself more fully to that blessed trio, and so He took Peter, James and John to this mountain, where He was, Holy Scripture tells us, "While He was praying His face changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white." What's more, Moses and Elijah appeared also, to give witness to Jesus by their very presence. The apostles finally concretely understood that this Jesus whom they followed was no mediocre teacher, everyday prophet, or common miracle worker; instead, here was One who stood among and above the greatest of the great. Finally, even God the Almighty Father speaks from the heavens a reminder for all times: "This is My beloved Son - Listen to Him!"
And that reminder is what we must heed today. Lent is a time to attentively listen to the Lord, particularly when He speaks of the Cross and other things that are hard to take. We must be open to the ways in which Jesus is transfigured before us, the ways in which He reveals Himself more fully to us. When we go to visit our sick and elderly neighbors and relatives, they will be transfigured for us, for Jesus is in them. When we take the time to listen to and show love to our children, and even find ways to care for the neglected and troubled youth in our community, their faces will shine like the sun for us, for Jesus is in them. When we find some other way to concretely feed the hungry in our midst, they will be eating with such estimable company as Moses and Elijah for us, for Jesus is in them.
Yes, throughout this entire holy season, our Lord will offer to take us to many mountaintops so that He can reveal Himself more fully. And in fact, He brings us to the mountaintop of His dwelling in the Church this Sunday that we may be present and rejoice at His glorious transfiguration in Sacred Scripture and transubstantiation in Holy Eucharist. In this, we are just as privileged as that blessed trio, Peter, James, and John, and so we cry out with them, "Lord, how good it is for us to be here!"
Gn 15: 5-12. 17-18/ Ps 26(27): 1. 7-8. 8-9. 13-14/ Phil 3: 17- 4: 1/ Lk 9: 28b-36
From today’s readings: “Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.... The Lord is my light and my salvation.... Our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.... Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray....”
More than expected
Every so often, I'll come across an antique store with an item in the window that I find really appealing. I stop to take a closer look, and I fancy to myself, "That old lantern (or whatever) is probably worth twice as much as the dealer is charging." Now, I'm not a collector, and I hate a cluttered room, so inevitably I'll talk myself out of buying any such curiosities. But as I walk away from the window, there's always a certain dread that tomorrow morning I'm going to read in the paper about some lucky townsman who bought Paul Revere's lantern for $5 at that same antique shop.
We all have that hope that something we have will turn out to be worth far more than we thought. Maybe it's a family heirloom we're holding on to, or perhaps it's the '63 station wagon that's still sitting there in the garage because we're sure it will be a collector's item someday, or the rusted basketball hoop we hope may prove to somehow be associated with Michael Jordan. There's always that hope that someday we will be justified for holding onto something that at first glance might not seem all that valuable.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus was revealed as being far more than whom Peter, James, and John had thought Him to be. They had been drawn to follow Him because they saw Him as a teacher, as a charismatic holy man, as a prophet, and as a miracle worker. Peter had even dared to recognize Him once as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God," but neither he nor any of the other disciples understood what that truly entailed.
But Jesus chose to reveal Himself more fully to that blessed trio, and so He took Peter, James and John to this mountain, where He was, Holy Scripture tells us, "While He was praying His face changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white." What's more, Moses and Elijah appeared also, to give witness to Jesus by their very presence. The apostles finally concretely understood that this Jesus whom they followed was no mediocre teacher, everyday prophet, or common miracle worker; instead, here was One who stood among and above the greatest of the great. Finally, even God the Almighty Father speaks from the heavens a reminder for all times: "This is My beloved Son - Listen to Him!"
And that reminder is what we must heed today. Lent is a time to attentively listen to the Lord, particularly when He speaks of the Cross and other things that are hard to take. We must be open to the ways in which Jesus is transfigured before us, the ways in which He reveals Himself more fully to us. When we go to visit our sick and elderly neighbors and relatives, they will be transfigured for us, for Jesus is in them. When we take the time to listen to and show love to our children, and even find ways to care for the neglected and troubled youth in our community, their faces will shine like the sun for us, for Jesus is in them. When we find some other way to concretely feed the hungry in our midst, they will be eating with such estimable company as Moses and Elijah for us, for Jesus is in them.
Yes, throughout this entire holy season, our Lord will offer to take us to many mountaintops so that He can reveal Himself more fully. And in fact, He brings us to the mountaintop of His dwelling in the Church this Sunday that we may be present and rejoice at His glorious transfiguration in Sacred Scripture and transubstantiation in Holy Eucharist. In this, we are just as privileged as that blessed trio, Peter, James, and John, and so we cry out with them, "Lord, how good it is for us to be here!"
posted by FrPitstick | 3/03/2007
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