Dear Parishioners,
You might be saying to yourself, “How is the Transfiguration of Christ relevant to me? I cannot seem to
relate to it.” Here are three considerations. First, each of us can probably relate to at least one of the men present with Jesus: Moses and Peter did not initially want to answer God’s call, Elijah fell into despair, and Peter was sometimes double-minded and even denied Christ. They were human just like you and me, with strengths and weaknesses. Second, we can relate to the apostles’ experience of the presence of the transfigured Christ on the mountain when we receive the presence of the Christ in the Eucharistic at Mass—a real Communion with the living God in our midst. Just as Christ’s transfiguration strengthened Peter, James, and John to endure Jesus’ impending suffering and death, so Jesus in the Eucharist gives us grace to endure our trials and suffering while looking forward to the glory of the Resurrection. Third, each of those five men did not choose God, but God chose them first—just like He has called each of us, regardless of who we are or what we’ve done or not done, and has given each of us a particular mission He has not entrusted to another.
“Listen to him.” The context of the Transfiguration is also significant. It follows after Jesus had just
taught the apostles that he must suffer and die before rising from the dead, and that the apostles too must deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow him to their death… THIS message—the message of the cross before the resurrection—is what the Father reinforces by saying, “Listen to him.” The cross and glory belong together. Christ’s transfiguration also foreshadows the changing of our own bodies at Jesus’ Second Coming, when Paul says that Christ will “change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body” (Phil 3:21). Lastly, when we receive Jesus’ crucified and glorified Body and Blood in Holy Communion, we too hear the Father’s voice speaking to us in the depth of our hearts: “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.”—a perfect segue to…
Our Pastorate Lenten Mission on March 4th and 5th will teach you how to listen to Him speak in the depth of your soul through what the saints have called “mental prayer.” Fr. Steve has asked me to present Fr. Jacques Philippe’s book on mental prayer, “Time for God”— a book that I’ve found invaluable in helping me find God “in solitude and silence …in order to enter into intimate, loving communication with Him” (page 1). This 2-part mission (each lasting only 1 hour) will summarize Fr. Jacques’ most important tips and include time to actually practice mental prayer using these tips. Day 1 is March 4 at 7 pm at OLC in the church; Day 2 is March 5 at 7 pm at SJF in the church.
Peace in Christ,
Father Jim
