[Salvation]

The Lord Tests our Love

Pastor’s Column

 

The Transfiguration—2nd Sunday of Lent-A

March 16, 2014

 

There are so many life lessons the Lord teaches us at the Transfiguration! Who among us would not like to stay on Mount Tabor with the Lord. Just think for a moment: the Lord is revealed in power and glory: from that mountain, you can see forever! People from our past appear to converse with you; everything is clear, everything is possible! Your emotions are running high. So what does Peter say in response to this experience? “Lord, let’s build some tents for these great religious figures; let’s stay here in this moment. We don’t want to ever leave here!”

Mountains and valleys: when we are having a mountain-top experience, everything seems possible; we can see where we are going; and, most importantly, we feel good about life. But staying on top and always feeling good and having a great view is heaven. On earth we can never stay on the mountain. Instead, the Lord brings us here so that we will have strength when the valley of suffering comes, because suffering purifies us and proves our love. Even Jesus could not stay on the mountain! Jesus had not yet suffered on the cross.

As hard as we might try to achieve heaven on earth, none of us can hold onto it. Instead, first we must go through our own wounds and sufferings, our valleys and darkness, because these are absolutely essential to our future. Indeed, our entire eternity depends on how we deal with the valleys God permits in our lives!

A good example of this from life would be the day of our wedding or an ordination to the priesthood. The vows that the couple makes are so wonderful and ideal: “I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health…” A priest makes similar open-ended idealistic promises to God at this time. We think our love will overcome all obstacles and that the good feelings will last forever. Whether a couple is newly married or a priest is newly ordained, they cannot see what lies ahead, and good feelings usually do not last. Instead, real love and commitment begins when we don’t always feel so good about the choice we made or the partner we are walking through life with; and, sometimes, we even feel this way about the Lord, who will at times seem to disappear or not be listening!

Our relationship with God is not just good times. No, he makes it very clear that we will be given our own share of crosses to bear and dark times to endure. We at Saint Edward have gone through a lot of changes lately; a new building, the retirement of a music director we had for 34 years and an inevitable change to how the music sounds, and now a tragic murder and shooting that has affected so many of us who love the people involved.

Yet these are the times that prove our commitment to each other. The goal of a Christian is not to be a self-seeker, but to remain committed to the Lord and each other, not just in the good times when everything goes the way we want, but in the tough times that prove our love.

                                                Father Gary

[Salvation]

Reflections from Scott Hahn

Listen to Him: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Second Sunday of Lent

Posted by Dr. Scott Hahn on 03.14.14 |

Readings:
Genesis 12:1-4
Psalm 33:4-5,18-20, 22
2 Timothy 1:8-10
Matthew 17:1-9

Today’s Gospel portrays Jesus as a new and greater Moses.

Moses also took three companions up a mountain and on the seventh day was overshadowed by the shining cloud of God’s presence. He too spoke with God and his face and clothing were made radiant in the encounter (see Exodus 24,34).

But in today’s Lenten Liturgy, the Church wants us to look back past Moses. Indeed, we are asked to contemplate what today’s Epistle calls God’s “design…from before time began.”

With his promises to Abram in today’s First Reading, God formed the people through whom He would reveal himself and bestow His blessings on all humanity.

He later elevated these promises to eternal covenants and changed Abram’s name to Abraham, promising that he would be father of a host nations (see Genesis 17:5). In remembrance of His covenant with Abraham he raised up Moses (see Exodus 2:24; 3:8), and later swore an everlasting kingdom to David ‘s sons (see Jeremiah 33:26).

In Jesus’ transfiguration today, He is revealed as the One through whom God fulfills his divine plan from of old.

Not only a new Moses, Jesus is also the “beloved son” promised to Abraham and again to David (see Genesis 22:15-18; Psalm 2:7; Matthew 1:1).

Moses foretold a prophet like him to whom Israel would listen (see Deuteronomy 18:15,18) and Isaiah foretold an anointed servant in whom God would be well-pleased (see Isaiah 42:1). Jesus is this prophet and this servant, as the Voice on the mountain tells us today.

By faith we have been made children of the covenant with Abraham (see Galatians 3:7-9; Acts 3:25). He calls us, too, to a holy life, to follow His Son to the heavenly homeland He has promised. We know, as we sing in today’s Psalm, that we who hope in Him will be delivered from death.

So like our father in faith, we go forth as the Lord directs us: “Listen to Him!”