Second Sunday of Lent, March 12, 2017

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1 Second Sunday of Lent, March 12, 2017 READINGS: Genesis 12:1-4; Psalm 33; 2 Timothy 1:8-10; and Matthew 17:1-9 We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and God is shining through it all the time! Thomas Merton Our journey has begun in earnest, but already the disciples are growing hesitant, beginning to question Jesus words and drawing away from him as he preaches, in the tradition of the prophets, the good news to the poor and experiences of rejection. Then he tells them of what lies ahead: betrayal, torture, death by crucifixion, and that he will rise again (Matthew 16:20). Their hearts begin to resist. Now, instead of following him zealously, they stumble along after him, their fears growing apace with Jesus focus set on Jerusalem where the prophets are killed. Traditionally, this Sunday has been known as the Day of Bright Sadness in the Eastern Churches. Jesus takes three of his disciples on a day trip up a mountain to pray and share with them a vision of glory, hope, and transfiguration. At its root, it is a glimpse of who he is, as it was initially revealed to him at his baptism and now shared with the disciples by his Father. Jesus is trying to shore up their faith, instill a sense of mission and vision in them, and give them an experience where they encounter him, the Father, and the Spirit. He gives them eyes to see him, to see themselves, and to see everyone else through God s eye. There is danger, risk, suffering, and brutality ahead, but it is to be faced with grace, freedom born of belief, and baptism. The Spirit of God is given as the first gift to those who believe those looking at Jesus life and one s own life from the vantage point of a long vision how God sees. The story is familiar. Jesus, James, John, and Peter go up the mountain together and he is transfigured before their eyes. His face shone like the sun. His clothes became white as light (Matthew 7:2). Moses, the prophet of the law and liberation for the people, and Elijah, the prophet of justice who will appear before the Messiah, come and converse with Jesus. The description of Jesus transfigured is closely tied to the image of the Son of Man who comes with justice, judgment, and power exposing evil and siding with the poor and those who have suffered at the hands of others which can be found in the words of the prophet Daniel 7. For the three disciples, the presence of Moses and Elijah would be a cause for exaltation, let alone the fact that they are on a mountain, where their ancestors would meet God face-to-face. And of course, they want to stay. This is more along the lines of what they were wanting from Jesus rather than talk of deep-rooted change, the embrace of sinners and outcasts, radical rejection, and criminal execution. 1 / 6 Copyright 2017, Education for Justice, a project of Center of Concern.

2 But even as Peter is declaring his intention to stay, a bright cloud overshadows them. Out of the cloud comes a voice. In the story of the Exodus, the power of the Spirit of God, the Shekhinah, traveled with the people as fire at night and a luminous cloud by day! Paradoxically, it is a bright cloud that overshadows them. This is the same phrase used to announce the Incarnation: Mary being overshadowed by the power of God s Spirit so that she will bear the Word in her flesh. These words describe a theophany, the Trinity, God as a Community. The Voice rings out, interrupting Peter s pipe dreams, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him (Matthew 7:5). Other translations like the New Revised Standard and the Jewish Annotated New Testament, say, This is my Son the Beloved; I am well pleased with him. Listen to him. The name and the relationship of Jesus to the Voice of God, who made him flesh, is important not only for our image of Jesus, but for realizing who we are called to be, named, and summoned to become in our humanity and by our baptism. As with Jesus, we belong to God. God lays claim to us and expects us to imitate Jesus. The words are imperative, Listen to him. The root meaning of the word listen is obey. If we are to believe in Jesus, then we must listen take his words to heart, and obey by putting those words in practice, imitating his own actions, relationships and decision. This is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets to be made now in the image and likeness of Jesus, God s Word made Flesh. As we grow deeper into God s image, our eyes are washed out To know Jesus and to live so that our God is well pleased with us, as he is with Jesus, means that we are now to and we are given fresh sight see others and live with others as Jesus does. The word to look upon one another transfiguration is a combination of two words: trans the Latin preposition meaning across, through, into, with the eyes of God. bridge, overpass. The other half of the word: figure is the human body as in figure drawing and the basic underlying essence of what it means to be a human being. The experience of the transfiguration reveals as much about us human beings as it does about the person of Jesus. Like the disciples, we are to see through Jesus body into God. We are to see through every human being s body and catch a glimpse of the glory of God. Everyone else is to be able to see through our bodies and everyone else s what the Body of Christ, the Family of God, is revealing the presence and beauty of God. The words of the poet Rumi express such beauty and wonderment, If a drop of the wine of Vision could rinse our eyes, everywhere we looked, we would weep with wonder (Harvey, Andrew, Light Upon Light: Inspirations from Rumi, North Atlantic Books, 1996). 2 / 6 Copyright 2017, Education for Justice, a project of Center of Concern.

3 The second part of the first principle of Catholic social teaching is usually referred to as the call to family, community, and participation. This is the way it is articulated: In a global culture driven by excessive individualism, our tradition proclaims that the person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society, in economics and politics, in law and policy, directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. The family is the central social institution that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. While our society often exalts individualism, the Catholic tradition teaches that human beings grow and achieve fulfillment in community. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. Our Church teaches that the role of government and other institutions is to protect human life and human dignity and promote the common good (Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, The experience and belief in the transfiguration is one of the foundations for this principle and practice. Each of us is a sacred image of the One who created us in God s image. By baptism and belief in Jesus, we are more we are the sons, the daughters, the beloved children of God who has shared the person of Jesus with us so that we can live and give God good reason to be well-pleased with all of us. In the moment of the transfiguration, we are invited to see every person as the Voice, the Cloud, and Jesus see them, singularly and together, as the Body of Christ, the family of God. In this portion of Scripture, we are given God s vision. This is the way the poet Rabindranath Tagore of India says it, From individual body to community to universe, from universe to Infinity this is the soul s normal progress. As we grow deeper into God s image, our eyes are washed out and we are given fresh sight to look upon one another with the eyes of God. There is a Jewish story, again from the Baal Shem Tov, that hints at this throughout the long history of their wait for the coming of the Messiah. Once upon a time the Baal Shem Tov was leading the community in prayer. He was carried away as though he was in another place while in the synagogue. He found himself in a huge hall with a long table, with all the chairs filled except one which he knew was his seat. He sat down and looked around the table. Some seemed familiar from his tradition, but there were others, from other traditions, too. One person stood out starkly, for that face was veiled. A short time later he asked, Why is this one s face veiled? And the answer shocked him. That s the Messiah. 3 / 6 Copyright 2017, Education for Justice, a project of Center of Concern.

4 Then, he pulled himself together and said, Oh, yes. I know why his face is veiled. Now, the others listened closely. He is veiled because the face of the Messiah reflects the face of the one who gazes on it. Before one is ready, that sight would be too much to bear. Until one is ready, the face must remain veiled. In each human being, that anointed one is waiting to be born, asserted Baal Shem Tov. After speaking, he remembered that he was actually in the synagogue and still in the presence of his own community. He opened his eyes and looked around at the faces of his friends, families, and strangers all gathered together. He realized in that moment that he was seeing the faces of the Messiah. All he could think of was, How can I tell them? What can I do to let them know who they are? How can I help them to remember who they are? One of the strongest ways to remember, for us, is to LISTEN to Jesus, to listen to the Words of Scripture, to listen to one another, especially to the vulnerable, the poor, and the countless people struggling to live in our world. When the vision on the mountain is over and they look up, they see only Jesus. He has come over to them and lays his hand on them and declares, Rise up and do not be afraid (Matthew 17:7). Fear hides the glory, shrouds it, and blurs our vision distorting how we see what is going in us, around us in the world, and most strongly, how we see and perceive other people. The disciples are all for staying where they are, but Jesus is intent on bringing them down the mountain and into the mystery of how the vision becomes reality, hard as it might be at times. The reading from Genesis reminds us of Abram s invitation to start his journey when he is an old man (he s 75!) to leave his land and kinsfolk. It is God who will make him and his family into a great nation, blessing them so that they learn how to be the people who are God s blessing on all the communities of the earth. With the experience of Jesus transfiguration, we are invited into the mystery of Jesus way, his truth and life, his Passover in Jerusalem, and his passing from death into life. We are to live holy lives, seeing in everyone and in all creation the presence and glory of God seeping through it all. Paul s words push us down the mountain, [Jesus] has robbed death of its power and has brought life and immortality into clear light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10). Jesus walks with us all of us, God s daughters, sons, children, family, all beloved and we begin again to live so as to give God reason to be well pleased with us looking so much like The Son, The Beloved, and The Word made flesh. We are exhorted, LISTEN TO HIM! 4 / 6 Copyright 2017, Education for Justice, a project of Center of Concern.

5 REFLECTION QUESTIONS: TO STRETCH YOUR HEART AND SOUL Jesus takes his friends with him to pray so that they can better face the reality of what lies ahead for him, and for them. Etty Hillesum, a young Jewish woman who died in the Holocaust, talks about prayer in this way, I draw prayer around me like a dark protective wall, withdraw inside it as one might into a convent cell and then step outside again, calmer and stronger and more collected again. Put time aside for about minutes each evening to sit quietly. Draw prayer around you and just sit in the presence of The Trinity, soaking up their power by osmosis. When Jesus takes the disciples with him to pray, they are afraid. They have been listening to the crowds, even their own families and friends, the leaders of their communities, and what they hear is rejection. They are afraid of the Romans, their own religious leaders, and fear the realities of torture, slavery, and crucifixion. Take a slip of paper and write down your fears beginning with people you re afraid of, then realities you d like to escape. Then look at each person and each fear. Close your eyes and try to see them as God sees them. Try to look through them to the glory of God. Sit with this prayer for about 15 minutes. Jesus takes three of his disciples with him: two of his cousins, James and John, and Peter. If you were to take three people with you, knowing you would be facing hard times with them, who would you choose, and why? What do you see of the glory and light of God in them that you d like to have with you in the hard times? 5 / 6 Copyright 2017, Education for Justice, a project of Center of Concern.

6 PRAYER O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage, and strength to serve you. Enkindle your love in me and then walk with me Along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, But when I have arrived where the horizon now closes down, A new prospect will open before me, And I shall meet it with peace. Amen. Edith Stein, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Disappeared in the Holocaust, ) FAITH IN ACTION: SHIFTING INTO NEW PRACTICES Watch the news on your phone, tablet, or TV. For the first 5-10 minutes, look at peoples faces and see if you can see through them to the light and glory of God. What is shining on their faces? What is showing through their clothes? What draws you to them as human beings, as your kin, as your family, as your brothers and sisters, and as the Beloved of God? What do they reveal to you about our God in Jesus? The poet Marge Percy wrote, We seek not rest but transformation. We are dancing through each other as doorways. Try to do one thing each day this week that will lighten another s step. Remind them that this is a dance (as the Trinity dances together) that will encourage them. Does someone need a few moments of your time, an acknowledgment of their words or actions, a cup of coffee, a tweet, a visit? Don t let whatever apathy, fatigue, inattention, or discouragement that you are feeling bleed into others. Remember, too, they re looking through you as a doorway. What glimpse are they getting? Life s splendor forever lies in wait about each one of us in all its fullness, but veiled from view, deep down, invisible, far off. It is there, though, not hostile, not reluctant, not deaf. If you summon it by the right word, by its right name, it will come forth, wrote Franz Kafta. Some folk reveal this splendor more readily than others. Pick a group of people you tend to ignore or are fearful of another race, age, nationality, economic bracket, sexual orientation, or religion and watch how they are portrayed by others, in the media, in their off-hand comments. As a balance, come up with alternative perspectives on who they are and why they are doing what they do even if it means you need to talk to someone you don t usually speak with, take a walk and talk with someone on the street (bring some fruit, nuts, and chocolate bars to share while talking), visit another place of worship, or take the bus instead of your car and join the community that uses public transportation. 6 / 6 Copyright 2017, Education for Justice, a project of Center of Concern.