Our Gospel today tells us that our Lord “was transfigured before them and his clothes became dazzling white”. This word ‘transfigured’ – from which we also get the Transfiguration, as in the Feast of the Transfiguration – is a change of appearance. It says Our Lord’s appearance changed. He showed to Peter, James and John His full glory. Scripture often talks about God’s glory shining in this world of darkness. We don’t often see that glory because our sight is darkened by sin. Well, Peter, James and John got to see that. It must’ve been a very powerful experience, because Peter wanted to set up tents. He want to stay there. He didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew they needed to remain there nonetheless.
Through the Transfiguration, we are offered a glimpse of the glory of God. It’s a glory that we hope to share in during our eternal reward when we enter into heaven. Because of this, we should seek to be changed, as Our Lord was during the Transfiguration, setting aside our wills and desires, and following Our Lord’s example. We should also follow Abraham’s example, because there’s always a sacrifice in change. We always have to give something up to change. Abraham thought he might have to sacrifice his son, but he trusted in the promise of God, and sought to fulfill God’s will.
We may have to give up things we hold dear. Of course, we always need to give up our sins, because sin keeps us from God. Maybe its activities or behaviors that aren’t sinful, but they get between us and God. For myself, a lot of that is video games. I love playing video games. If I start playing some of the more in-depth video games, I could spend all day. I could just completely waste an entire day playing these video games. Obviously, I can’t do that and devote my life to God. Maybe it’s other people. We may have relationships in our lives that are spiritually unhealthy, and we need to give those up. Whatever we need to give up to follow God is different for each of us. It’s whatever gets between us and God, so we have to decide what is more important: living for eternity in God’s glory, or the passing, Earthly things that can get between us and God.
Abraham was was blessed abundantly due to his faith in God, because Abraham did not withhold anything from Him. We will be blessed if we do not withhold anything that we have. As St. Paul says, “He who did not spare his own son, but handed him over to us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?” So the question we should ask ourselves is: what’s holding us back from turning ourselves over to God so that we can receive far more in return? Lent is the time to ask this question. Lent is the time to let go, to trust in God, and to allow Him to change us that we might enter into His glory.
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Every second of every day, there is a conflict over who will be at the center of my life: me or Him.
Raised with the once-saved-always-saved Protestant way of thinking, I came to realize that conversion doesn’t only happen once.
We must always be vigilant to throw down the enemies’ grappling hooks and ladders, for our souls are always under assault.
God help us.
And He does.
Thanks Fr. Cory for ‘breaking the Word” so beautifully! I was touched by your insights – especially the Transfiguration being an insight into what heaven will be like in the fullest splendour of God! I have linked your homily to both my facebook and twitter accounts!
May God continue to bless you and your congregation.
Fr. Vincent Esprit FMI