2nd Sunday Lent
Transfiguration
A Homily - B Cycle - 2011-2012
First Reading - Genesis 22:1-2,
9a, 10-13, 15-18
Psalm - 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19
Second Reading - Romans 8:31b-34
Gospel - Mark 9:2-10
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Mark wrote to explain Christ
to the new Gentile converts.
Jesus
took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such
as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them
along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to
Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three
tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He hardly knew
what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow
over them; from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to
him." Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone
with them.
Is
it Easter yet? Lent’s not easy, and Easter is still a ways off, but we got a
*taste* of it toady . . . a sneak-peek, if you will. Jesus is TRANSFIGURED,
made DAZZLING WHITE, appearing with Elijah and Moses. You know how to apostles
responded? SHOCK. SURPRISE. They don’t KNOW what Easter IS yet! This isn’t
easy to behold! What is THIS? We’re a little confused here! Kind of like me
when I went fishing with my father. When I was younger, Dad would steer the
boat and help catch the fish for me. I couldn’t handle it on my own. Once I
was about 7 years old, however, it was time . . . *I* was the helmsman, *I* was
the master fisherman . . . so off we went . . .
As
we were navigating the waters of a nearby lake, and I’m at the helm, I’m
steering this outboard motor, where you just move the stick behind you, and it
moves. Dad gives me direction – Luke, we’re going to hit a log, turn the boat
to the right, please! OK, I push the stick to the right, not knowing the
physics of the motor. And the boat heads STRAIGHT toward the log! No, no, turn
the stick to the left! But you wanted to turn right? “Exactly!” So I turned
the sick to the right! “No, if you want to turn right, you have to turn the
stick to the left”. . . wow, I was so confused, but oh well . . . I’m fishing in
the lake . . . I get a nibble! Let’s reel ‘er in! Give it slack, Luke . . .
but I want to catch the fish! You will, if you give it slack so the hook sets .
. . another mystery . . . but I learned!
Such
was the confusing art of fishing . . . Turning the rudder to the opposite way,
giving SLACK to reel in a fish . . . but then, that’s NOTHING compared to how
confused Abraham must have been. He just had made a covenant with the Lord,
your descendants shall be more numerous than the stars on the sky or the sand on
the seashore! And now, the Almighty makes a demand – Abraham, go up a mountain
and give up your Son! What?! Lord, didn’t you just promise me many
descendants? Talk about confused! Normally, if there are times when I think
directions are not right, don’t make sense, then I’m inclined to hold off on
carrying them out. If a ruler were to order me to do something that seems
downright *wrong* to me, the naturally, it’s GOOD to disobey! But this isn’t
just a human ruler . . . this is God Himself. Dad knew better how to steer and
fish, and God knows BEST how Abraham should behave . . . and so Abraham does
what? He LISTENS . . . and he obeys.
BECAUSE
Abraham listened, Israel became a nation with countless descendants, continuing
to the present day. 2000 years later, like Abraham, Christ goes up another
mountain with Peter, James and John, and is TRANSFIGURED before them . . .
clothes made DAZZLING white . . . a truly magnificent foretaste of Heavenly Gory
and Victory over sin and death. What do the three confused apostles do? UNLIKE
Abraham, they DON’T listen . . . Lord, how good it is that WE are here! We can
make memorials for you! God the Father sends a gentle reminder - this is SON
you’re dealing with! Enough talking, LISTEN to Him! By listening, these three
would become the first leaders for the Church. By LISTENING, they would convert
souls and lead others to Christ. By LISTENING, they would become fishers of
men. By LISTENING, they would find salvation. So what do WE need to do this
Lent? Listen, yes.
But
that’s too easy to say without doing anything. If we want to actually obey and
follow our Lord’s plan for us, if we want to LISTEN to Him successfully, then we
need to make the best PLACE and the best TIME for Him.
Truly,
I can’t think of a better place to listen to our Lord than here in Church, and a
better TIME to listen than following Mass. Once the celebrant has led the way
out at the end of Mass *which signifies the risen Jesus leading the people out
at Easter), once the music has ceased, we can sit for just a couple of moments,
and listen to the Lord who is literally WITHIN US after Holy Communion. We can
listen to the one who helps us with the most mysterious or incomprehensible
things in our lives. We spend this Lent treasuring those moments of silence,
ESPECIALLY after MASS, and we follow Peter’s example, by quieting our mouths,
and opening our ears and our hearts. Peter was right, it IS good to be HERE!
Because Jesus is too . . . and He has much to teach us.
IF
we spend some time listening to Him in prayer. If we send just a couple of
moments after Mass to listen to the one who’s been TRANSFIGURED into Heavenly
RADIANCE, then something’s going to happen , , , we will be transfigured as well
. . . so that when others SEE us, HEAR us, they won’t be confused, for they will
SEE and HEAR . . . Jesus as we glorify the Lord with our life!
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