Sunday March 16, 2014 - Come Down from the Mountain

Gospel mt 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

On March 18, 2014 our president will award the Medal of Honor to two dozen veterans including 19 victims of discrimination.  It marks the first time since World War II that so many veterans will be awarded with our country’s highest military honor, sadly only three of the recipients are still alive.  In truth, these warriors through their heroic actions prove that there is an inherit goodness within every person, and that through our acceptance of God’s sanctifying grace, we are capable of heroic and incredible self-sacrifice.  In today’s Gospel Peter is so happy to be in the magnificent presence of Divine Grace, our Lord Transfigured, that he can only think about remaining in this state of gladness, he says: “Lord, it is good that we are here.  If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  In other words, St. Peter is saying “I am so glad that I am here with you, and this is how I want it to be forever!” Unfortunately, St. Peter is only thinking about himself and the joy he is experiencing.  Our Lord calls us to share this joy not guard it in our hearts like it is something exclusive but instead wants us to go out into the world and share it as instruments of His Love and Mercy!  And so our Lord says to Peter, James, and John: “Rise, and do not be afraid.” Our Lord is commanding us not stay on top of the mountain but to come down and share the Good News of salvation with all we encounter on the way. During this Lenten journey I urge you my brothers and sisters to make an extra special effort to get involved in parish life, become a part of a ministry or group.  Practice self-sacrifice as a penitential act, an act of love, an act of mercy.  Be a warrior for God and His Gospel, after all; the reward is out of this world! Blessings. Fr. Steven