On High Mountain in the Wrong Company

Introduction

If you recall last in Last Sunday’s Gospel the Devil took Jesus up to a high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and said to him all these I shall give you if your prostrate yourself and worship me! Jesus rejecting the proposition said “Get Away Satan, it is written The Lord your God shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” But this world is filled with people who have accepted one form or another of the devils proposition, for fame and fortune, power and every kind of pleasure. You know one can be at very high places at the lowest of wrong company.

Body

In our Gospel today Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves, and is transfigured before them. Glowed from inside out while Moses and Elijah appeared speaking to him, then God the Father Spoke, “this is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased listen to Him”. The disciples were prostrate, this time worshiping in fear and trembling adoring the Lord their God. Then Jesus touches them saying rise be not afraid, and when they open their eyes they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

Conclusion

Conclusion

My friends you may have already reached high places in your life with Jesus and Company at your side, if so, praise be to God! But if on this second Sunday of Lent you feel you need a lift Jesus is inviting us to that higher place, a place here and now where he can touch us and we him in the Eucharist, where we can hear him say in our hearts rise be not afraid, I am with you always, to find a place without the normal distractions were we see no one else but Jesus alone. A place of Eucharistic Adoration here at Incarnation where we can prostrate ourselves and worship him alone, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. A place of Lenten Retreat on March 14 here at Incarnation. Jesus took his disciples and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

Let us do our Lenten Penance with Strength That Comes from God.

Introduction

There is this five letter prefix, that when attached to some words can cause some raised emotion, Can you guess? , “Trans”, is Latin, for “on the opposite side”, or going beyond, Transfusion, Transgression, Trans Fat, J don’t worry. I’m not going to be talking about what you’re thinking?”

Body

In our Gospel Jesus takes Peter, James and John by themselves to a high mountain where he is? ..TRANSFIGURED… before them. Jesus went “on the opposite side”, or beyond the physical limitation of his body in time and space as we know it. His face shone like the Sun, and his body lit up through his cloths. Luke in his Gospel says Moses and Elijah were conversing with Jesus about his exodus, he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. This Transfiguration was like foreshadowing of his resurrection, sort of a practice run; God strengthened Jesus for completing his horrific mission of Love for the salvation of the world. Now James is said to be the first Martyr, Peter crucified upside down, and John exiled to the island of Patmos, left to die, and by allowing them to see it and write about it, gave them and us now hope and strength to overcome our own hardships in life, when they come. O that the Transfiguration would remind us that there’s a lot more to life beyond what meets the eye. The Apostle Paul in our second reading encourages us by saying, “Bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.” Hardship, dealing with our own sinful weaknesses, hardship living the Gospel in a post Christian culture of secular humanism, atheism, not conforming to the culture but transforming it “with the Strength that Comes from God. In our first reading Abram left behind his familiar homeland with its polytheism and temple cultic practices, and transitioned beyond, to a new land worshiping and serving God and God alone with the strength that came from God

Conclusion

So let us do our Lenten Penances with the Strength that Comes from God, making those tough choices to the opposite side, leaving behind whatever, name it, that keep us from experiencing the fullness joy and abundance of life in our risen Lord Jesus, and leave it behind Jesus’ always loves us with open arms, no matter what, don’t be afraid, as he touched Peter James and John saying Rise do not be afraid, he will touch every one of us here today by faith sacramentally who desire going beyond, with the strength that comes from God.