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Tag: Transfiguration

  • A Journey towards Transformation

    A Journey towards Transformation

    March 5, 2023 – Second Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030523.cfm)

    Life is a journey. It is never meant to be static. As simple as the flow of the traffic, it goes forward until one reaches the desired destination. When life becomes stagnant, this is where we also find life uninteresting, depressing and devoid of life itself. Thus, our life also entails taking risks to move forward and being able to embrace the possibilities of what lies ahead despite its uncertainties.

    This is how we realize that taking risks to enter into new relationships, new places, new perspectives, new ways or methodologies could bring more life in us and even help us to be a better version of ourselves. This is something that I want to expound on this Second Sunday of Lent. The readings we have today have a lot more to say for each of us in this Season of Lent. And so allow me to journey with you through the readings.

    The Book of Genesis tells us of the call of Abram. He was called by the Lord to journey to a land he did not know, only God knows. This already tells us that this particular journey was filled with uncertainties and unfamiliarity. Abram was asked to leave and go out from his comforts, from the usual and from the familiar to him as he was to leave his family and homeland. Everything will be left behind.

    Yet, amidst uncertainties, God promised, “I will bless you!” Abram will be a blessing and all communities of the earth shall find blessing in him. This was how Abram went as the Lord directed him. Abram trusted the Lord and took the risk. Abram also grew in faith and became more familiar with God’s voice speaking in his heart.

    Abram’s life was a journey with the Lord but despite the risk of being uncertain, it formed Abram to grow as a person, as a man of faith. This was how Abram became a blessing to all.

    The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy reminds us also that even though we might experience fear and become anxious in life, yet, there is comfort and assurance given to us. Paul tells us that our journey is towards a “Holy Life.” We are saved and called for this. This is God’s desire for us and so God gives us spiritual strength. Therefore, we cannot rely on our own abilities and convictions alone. As we take risks in this life, we rely on the grace of God. We trust God’s presence to direct and inspire us.

    Moreover, the Gospel of Matthew beautifully proclaimed to us this journey towards that holy life. We were told that Jesus took Peter, James and John to a high mountain. It was a journey taken by the three with Jesus. The three disciples, like Abram, didn’t know what will happen there but because they trusted the Lord and had already built a close relationship with him, then, they went ahead.

    That high mountain is a symbol of being close to the Divine presence. This was where Jesus was “transfigured.” This means that Jesus’ appearance was completely changed, signifying his glory that was never seen before. This was a glimpse of that holy and glorious life. Yet, the transfiguration of Jesus was more than physical.

    That is why, the presence of Moses and Elijah pointed to something more. These two were the figures of the Law and the Prophets of the whole Hebrew Scriptures. They were conversing with the transfigured Jesus. This means that Jesus is the embodiment or the living fulfillment of the Law and of the Prophets. Hence, in journeying with Jesus, we shall find in him the fullness of life, healing and freedom.

    However, we are warned not to be like Peter at that time of this event. Peter who had a glimpse of the glory of Jesus wanted to stay. It was so glorious that he wanted to behold longer. Peter only listened to his desires and impulses. This is the danger of becoming static and stagnant in life when we let ourselves be overwhelmed by the events in our life, or by our emotions or by anything that prevents us to move forward and discover more.

    Yet, the Lord God never meant that life must be stagnant. That’s why when Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed the three of them. This was God’s presence with a declaration saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, LISTEN TO HIM.” Yes, to listen to Jesus – this was the response to Peter and to all of us who merely listened to what we want and like to believe based only on our personal preferences and fancies.

    Another interesting and moving event here was that action of Jesus after that voice from heaven. The three were very much afraid of what just happened but “Jesus came and touched them.” This was the real presence of a friend who brings comfort and assurance when we too become afraid in life.

    From there, they came down from the mountain. This expresses that the journey continues and that is to bring change and blessing into our homes, groups, organizations, workplaces and communities. And from these readings today, I leave you three invitations.

    First, consciously make this Season of Lent a journey towards our transformation and not just as a mere devotional ritual to be practice yearly. So, seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation and faithfully do fasting and abstinence.

    Second, be more attentive of God’s presence in this Eucharist and even in the ordinary events of our life. Thus, it is important that we give time to be silent and to pray by becoming more familiar with God’s presence.

    Third, listen to Jesus. The Lord speaks in our hearts. So, read and reflect with your Holy Bible, if you can, attend Lenten Recollections and Retreats.

    As we embrace these invitations, may we be transformed to become blessings to everyone as we allow ourselves to be a gift to people whom we will encounter in this life. Kabay pa.

  • God’s AGENDA First

    God’s AGENDA First

    March 5, 2023 – Second Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030523.cfm)

    Coming back from the desert, a holy man was once asked to describe his experience of God. People asked him, “Tell us, how does God look like? How do we recognize God?” But the holy man was so confused, for how can he express to them his experience of God from his heart. Is it possible to articulate to them his God experience in few words? So, he decided to teach them a simple prayer to describe his God experience in the desert, knowing also that this prayer is limited and incomplete. He hoped however that through this simple prayer, people may become more open to experience God for themselves. People then accepted such prayer readily, made it sacred and holy devotion, teach and impose it on others, and preach it to other nations. Some even gave up their lives to spread devotion to this Prayer to other people.

    However, concerned about what happened, the holy man eventually regretted his actions because many things have been done already to his simple yet incomplete prayer, except to help people experience and encounter God for themselves. He realized eventually that it would have been better if he did not speak at all but stayed silent, than give people a few words of prayer. 

    True enough, we do aspire to know and experience God. Like the people in our story, through prayer, we hope to encounter God’s presence in our lives, since prayer is all about our meeting with God. Prayer is our chance to experience God in our own lives. Meaning, prayer is not only our spoken-words and actions-done to express our needs, wants and desires for God, but moreso, prayer is our way & chance for God to reveal, make himself known, and be experienced by us. 

    Our readings today describe to us what Prayer really is. In our first reading, we come to learn that by listening to God’s will, Abram in prayer received God’s promise of salvation. In our gospel, by accompanying Jesus in prayer, the disciples witnessed and experienced God’s presence & glory.

    Meaning, in prayer we come to experience God, and it is our encounter with Him. Our experience of God (what happens) then matters most than the methods and words we used in prayer. Words and the manner of praying are just then but helps or avenues towards experiencing God through prayer.

    But usually while praying, we become more concerned about the Hows (methods) – on what is the righteous thing to do or say for us to experience God, and like Martha, on what do we have to do or say before the Lord. Remember, however: What God say to us is more important that what we say to Him.” What God wants from us and for us is more important than what we want from Him. What God does to us is more important than what we do to Him.

    In others words, God’s presence and glory is more important than our presence and glory. Simply put, while praying, God’s agenda and business are more important than our own agenda and business.

    Like for instance, while praying the rosary, we do find ourselves at times tired and sleepy or sleeping. And then we find ourselves guilty for losing track or not completing our rosary. Consider perhaps that God is more concerned with our tired souls than completing our rosary. While praying, God is more concern about taking care of our tired and weary souls than we finishing off our rosary. OR at times, while we are praying the Lord’s prayer, we distracted and bothered with the word: “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sinned against us” because we are reminded of people who have hurt and pained us, as well as of people we have hurt and pained. Consider perhaps that those hurtful memories are the very agenda and business God wants us to address at that very moment to be eventually forgiven and healed.    

    Prayer and praying usually lead us into quiet and silence of our heart, eventually for us to become more open to God’s agenda and business as well as God’s presence. Abram in our first reading and the disciples during the Lord’s transfiguration experienced God’s glory and became sensitive to God’s will because they prayed in silence and open enough to be changed by God’s agenda and business for them.

    This Lenten Season, the Holy Church calls us to pray. And in the many ways and words we pray, be reminded that these prayers are just ways and means, but great help and aid for us to experience for ourselves God’s presence and will for us these days. Through our silent prayerful listening anew to God’s word & agenda for us these days is our sure path into our redemption towards God’s glory. In response to our Father’s call to Listen to His beloved Son, through our prayer in silent listening, may we be more open and sensitive to experience God’s presence and revelations – greater and better things God in store for us in life after pandemic. Amen.

  • PRAY AND LISTEN

    PRAY AND LISTEN

    February 18, 2023 – Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021823.cfm)

    Faith, as the late Pope Benedict XVI said, is a human response of love to the Lord who first loved us. The Letter to the Hebrews reminded us of this as well. We were reminded on how those Biblical personalities responded to God’s invitations for them. Faith has become a way of life of those who are close and deeply in love with God. This way of life led them to pay more attention to the divine presence of God who surrounds them. Thus, praying and listening are two essential attitudes of the heart as we nurture our faith-relationship with God.

    In today’s Gospel of Mark, we are brought to the experience of the disciples who witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus. Going up and coming down from mountain is an expression of journeying with God. And in journeying with God, it is very essential that WE LISTEN TO GOD, of God’s action in our life, of God’s Word in the Holy Bible and of God’s presence in our sacraments in the Church.

    To “pray and listen” is Jesus’ invitation for us today as we are reminded to grow in our faith-relationship. Remember, Jesus went up to the mountain to pray and through prayer he was transfigured. The disciples too where praying and it was through their prayer that they were made aware of that mysterious event in their lives.

    So it means that we too, are called to “pray and to listen,” to commune with God and to relate with God more intimately through our prayer. It is only when we become reflective and prayerful that we also become aware of other people around us. We become more connected with God and with others.

    Transfiguration becomes a reality in us when we see and recognize the face of God in our brothers and sisters, when we learn and take the courage to watch out for those who feel unrecognized, to give a room for the stranger, to listen to those who are troubled and hear the cry of those who are desperate in life, to walk with those who are afraid and those whose hearts are broken and to give a helping hand to those who stumbled.

    Through these, we become a community centered on the Eucharist that is welcoming, embracing, loving and forgiving that may hopefully move to gradually transform ourselves into the way God wants us to be. Hinaut pa.