Ash Wednesday’s readings teach us about Lent and how God works with us;
Today’s readings teach us how God uses our sacrifices this Lent.
The readings for Ash Wednesday teach us what to do for Lent, and how God works with us during Lent. Today’s readings point us to how God uses this season of Lent to help others to grow in holiness. St. Paul in his letter to Timothy makes the purpose of Lent clear.
Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.
He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
Lent -> Life : Penance is the conduit for God’s grace
We are called to live a holy life during Lent - not by our own works, but that the grace of God might pour through us this Lent.
As Catholics we have this season of Lent not just for 40 days - but to change the rest of our lives so that we might become more open to letting God use us as a conduit of His grace.
Let that sink in…
What is God doing? Genesis
God Promises then God does - this is how we grow in Faith
God tells Abram what he is going to do and then invites him to participate. He does the same with us - He invites us to let Him use us to bless other people. This is in essence the mission of the Christian - that our life would become a blessing for others.
“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.”
God makes 3 promises to Abram at the start of his journey:
To be the Father of a great nation
This is fulfilled at Mt. Sinai when the descendents of Abram enter into a covenant with God.
To have a royal dynasty
This is fulfilled in the Davidic line of Kings that comes from Abram.
To be a Universal Blessing for ALL people
This is fulfilled when Christ establishes the covenant for Jews and Gentiles.
God goes on to fulfill His promises to Abram throughout the rest of his life. He invites Abram to be part of His story, and when Abram says yes, God blesses him.
The mission of the Christian - be a conduit for blessing
The third blessing to Abram is significant for us - let us dwell there for a moment. Christian lives mirror in a way the life of Abram. We start by being immersed in the waters of Baptism through which we are clothed with Christ. It is through our Baptism, which is completed with our Confirmation that we are invited to become a blessing to others. God gave us these gifts of Baptism and Confirmation to use us to bless others.
Between the 1st and 2nd predictions of the Passion
Today’s Gospel, the Transfiguration occurs right between the first and second prediction of the Passion, where Christ begins to share the heart of His mission with the Apostles. Jesus invites Peter, James and John into the story. He takes them up the Mountain where they see who He truly is, to strengthen them for the way of the Cross.
Christ reveals the fullness of who He is
In this reading Jesus shows Peter, James, and John - and through them Us, who He truly is. It terrifies them! This is the reality of God that we often blind ourselves too - and yet Jesus did not hold back - he allowed the Apostles to experience the fullness of who He is through that encounter with Him and the Father. When that experience had overwhelmed them it was by touch - the simplest and most primitive way to communicate love to a Human that Christ calls them out of their fear and instills in them the confidence to follow him on the road ahead.
The Transfiguration in St. Peter’s life.
An important tool for our own faith life is to understand where we are with Christ on the Journey. When we look at the experience of the Transfiguration in the life of St. Peter we see that this occurs in the midst of a journey that still has many ups and downs ahead.
Let me show you
Jesus asks Peter who He is (Matt 16) - You are the Christ the Messiah of God - to you I give the keys to the kingdom…
Jesus speaks of the Passion - Peter pulls Him aside and then Christ rebukes him.
Then we have the Transfiguration - where Christ shows Peter what that means…
This is in the larger context of Christ’s Passion, Peter’s denial, the Resurrection and then the encounter after Easter with the Lord on the sea shore (Peter do you love me)
This is followed with Pentecost, and culminates with Peter’s own crucifixion in Rome…
How does that work out in your life or my life?
Where have we been challenged to grow in Faith by God?
How have we responded?
What is God doing? My Life?
I want to share with you how I have experienced God building my faith over the course of my life:
I perceive that God Invites, I respond, then I see…
God is not yet done with me (like Peter).
Let me share an example - My vocation as a Deacon
Discernment for the Diaconate - having the powerful, visceral experience that God is calling me to be a Deacon, to see Him deliver on the promise then to be challenged in my belief and then to have God confirm his promise.
1996 - Serving God in retreat ministry and caring for those placed before me.
1998 - Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius - I want you to be my Deacon - Telling my wife
2000 - World Youth Day - flying home from Rome
2003 - The formation committee - realizing that God doesn’t just work with me but with the entire Church.
2007 Ordained a Deacon
2009 Embraced the cross of a divorce
2026 Still following Christ
Reflect on the story of your friendship with God.
I share this example to invite you to reflect on and understand your own story - your own Journey with God. He invites all of us along the path of relationship that we have with Him - and each path is unique and different.
The Transfiguration is light given in advance of darkness, reassurance before sacrifice. On the mountain Jesus reveals his glory before his passion. Lent is our mountain moment: a chance to see clearly who Christ is, so that when the road turns toward Calvary, we will follow not in fear, but in trust.
Your story becomes a source of blessing for others.
The story of your friendship with God is not done - it still has ups and downs ahead. This Lent, let us embrace the cross that God might use us to pour out His blessings on others that we encounter.
