Readings: Gn 15:5-12,17-18; Phil17-4:1; Lk 9:28b-36
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As I prepared this homily and thought about our
parish and its demographics, I finally concluded that we’re all pretty old. And given
all those years behind us, I’m sure we’ve all witnessed a lot of transformations in our
lives, changes in people and places.
Back in the early 1950s, just a few years after
the end of World War II, my family spent a year in Germany. I was only 7 or 8
years old, and my father, an Army officer, wouldn’t live in Army housing or
send us to Army schools. We lived in a tiny walk-up flat and went to German
schools.
It was a remarkable time, for the destruction
caused by the war was still very evident. In fact a house close by had been
completely destroyed. In some cities, almost everything was gone -- homes,
apartment houses, shops, small businesses, large factories – all had been turned
into unrecognizable piles of brick and smashed concrete.
But thanks to the
Marshall Plan and the power of the human spirit, rebuilding had already begun.
And by the time I returned ten years later, Western Europe had been completely
transformed. It was a vivid example of the human spirit, in its darkest hour, rising
to accomplish remarkable things.
But human events like
this resurrection of post-war Europe pale in comparison to what God has
promised us – the miraculous restoration He will accomplish in our resurrection
from the dead. In our 2nd reading St. Paul reminds us:
"…our citizenship
is in heaven, and from it we also await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He
will change our lowly body to conform with His glorified body."
And today's Gospel passage
from Luke gives us a glimpse of what Christ's glorified body is like. Before
His Resurrection, Jesus' body was just like ours, subject to hunger and thirst,
pain and pleasure, weakness and strength. After the Resurrection, Christ's body
was glorified, transfigured by His divine nature. And because His Spirit lives
within us, God will do the same for us.
The eternal life God
has promised those who love Him isn’t merely some sort of spiritual existence.
It will include our material bodies, but bodies very different from what we now
have. More than that we cannot say. What really matters is how our faith in the
resurrection affects what we do in our lives today.
This is why the surprising
event Luke describes, the Transfiguration, took place. For the Transfiguration
was not only a manifestation of Jesus’ divinity, but also a glimpse into the
future that God has planned for us, and a wake-up call for the here and now. Indeed,
it really was a wake-up call, for Peter, James, and John had been asleep. How
did Luke put it?
"Jesus
took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray…"
Then, just moments later, Luke tells us:
"Peter
and his companions had been overcome by sleep."
Of course, this was nothing new. In fact, the
disciples spent a remarkable amount of time asleep, and when they weren’t
asleep, they were afraid, oblivious, blind, or hiding away. Jesus often had to
wake them up, open their eyes, calm their fears, and bring them out of hiding.
By the time Peter, James, and John went up that
mountain to pray with Jesus, they had seen Him heal the sick and cast devils
into the sea. They heard unclean spirits shriek and watched while a paralytic
simply picked up his pallet and walked away. They had seen him walk on water
and change water into wine.
In the past few months, Jesus had challenged all
their fears; He’d revealed and forgiven all their sins. They found themselves
eating with sinners, laughing with tax collectors, talking to lepers and
harlots and thieves. They’d left their predictable, comfortable lives behind,
and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.
And yet…and yet despite all this – despite all
their waking up and growing up and sitting up in wonder, when they followed
Jesus up that mountain, they still fell asleep. Only eight days before the Holy
Spirit had moved Peter to declare Jesus to be "the Christ, the Son of the
Living God." (Mt 16:16) But when Jesus spoke of His passion and death…well, Peter
and the others would have none of it!
But God tells them, No. Not now. You must
return to the world. You must do my work. You must take my love and my Word to
all. You must do what my beloved Son tells you.
“Listen to him”, the Father’s voice demands.
Listen, do as He’s commanded you, and you will
share in the glory you see today.
Listen…and be transformed.
Yes, Jesus tells them, He has sent Me to
announce Good News to the poor, to proclaim release for prisoners, and give
sight to the blind; to let the broken victims go free.
Listen…and be transformed.
Do not be afraid. From now on, you will be
fishers of men. Make disciples of all nations. And I will be with you even
until the end of time.
Listen…and be transformed.
I haven’t come to invite the righteous, but to
call sinners to repentance. Your sins are forgiven you. Go and sin no more.
Listen…and be transformed.
Blessed are you who accept your spiritual
poverty, for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who show mercy, for you shall
obtain mercy.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall receive
comfort beyond your imagining.
Blessed are you who are persecuted because of
me, for your reward will be great.
Listen…and be transformed.
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate
you. If you love only those who love you, what credit is that to you?
Listen…and be transformed.
Take and eat. This is my body given up for you.
Take and drink. This is my blood, shed for you and for many, so that your sins
may be forgiven.
The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ nourishes
us on the way to our heavenly destiny. In a few moments, as we process to
receive Jesus, we symbolize a people together on a journey. We proceed in
communion with each other to enter a deeper communion with Jesus Christ. And our
firm "Amen" to the Body and Blood of Christ is a sign of our faith in
the promise of Jesus:
"Those
who eat my flesh and drink my blood have life eternal and I will raise them up
on the last day."
Yes, sisters and brothers, listen to the Word
of the Lord, and be transformed.
But just like Peter, John, and James, we too seem
to spend a remarkable amount of time asleep. We spend so much of our lives
afraid, oblivious, blind, and hidden away – hiding from the God who loves us.
This season of Lent, Jesus wants us to awaken
and open our eyes. He wants to calm our fears and bring us out of hiding. How
many of us spend Lent fretting about what we’ll give up? Desserts, movies,
coffee, a favorite TV show? And on Fridays we trade pepperoni pizza for fish
and chips.
But today's Gospel reminds us that, above all,
Lent is a season of transformation, a time to be transfigured by God Himself.
It’s a time to wake up, to open our eyes so
that like the three Apostles, we can see Jesus in his glory.
It’s a time to listen, so we can hear His voice
calling us to be fully aware and fully alive – to live our faith every moment
of our lives.
Lent is a time to take your place beside
Abraham, to look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Lent is a time to stand beside Moses and tell
stories of liberation; for that's what Jesus gave us – freedom – freedom from
sin, freedom to do the Father's will. Like God’s chosen people, we’ve been
brought out of slavery, but we’ve been redeemed at a great price, by the blood
of the Father’s only Son.
Lent is a time to come out of hiding and walk
with Elijah, to spread the Good News fearlessly to all who will hear.
Lent is a time to listen, to hear the urgency
of Christ's message to each one of us – a message of love He never tires of
repeating.
Lent is a time for prayer, for it’s in and
through our prayer life that we are most open to God’s Word.
Yes, brothers and sisters, Lent is a time to listen, a time to be transformed by God Himself.
Don’t let it go to waste.
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