Aug. 6, 2017: Transfiguration A
Aug. 6, 2017: Transfiguration A
Click to hear Audio Homily
How many of the As-Seen-On-TV products do you own? Do you remember the WaxVac, a device which was supposed to vacuum out the earwax? Many folks who purchased the device were angry that it did not remove ear wax or help improve hearing. We are willing to pay for a product promising instant results, but seldom is there such a product.
Do we have similar expectations about our spiritual life, expecting a one-time conversion experience or a spiritual highlight to change us from sinners to saints? A priest recently shared with me that a person who desires to transform his life cannot do it with going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and mass once in a while. The person must make it a daily habit to pray, to read and contemplate the Word of God in Scriptures, to participate regularly in the Eucharist, and to give his time to charitable works. The Christian life revolves around listening to Jesus, which entails actively seeking his will and actually doing his will, everyday.
In the Gospel today, the disciples of Jesus were invited to follow Jesus to a mountaintop to experience a special revelation of Jesus’ glory. But the real highlight of this experience was an instruction from Heavenly Father who said to the disciples, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." The Father was not only instructing the disciples to pay attention to Jesus, but to align our will to His.
What interferes with genuine listening to the Lord is the “noise” in our life--noise from radio in our cars, videos from our tablets, squawking news from TV, and all the busy activities. This is spiritual noise pollution. We need to stop being so busy and stop investing our attention in these things for so much of our day. We need to learn how to be quiet in front of the Lord and listen for his voice. We have to stop for a while telling him our wants, and listen to what He wants from us. And our Blessed Mother has the best advice for all of us, “Do whatever he tells you.”
What can we do concretely today to begin this journey of transformation? Can we put on our calendar a period of time for praying with scriptures? Can we change our routine by placing remote controls away from where we normally sit and put a bible or a spiritual book next to the chair instead? Just as Our Lord found time to pray in silence to His Father in the midst of his demanding schedule, we also must carve out the time to truly listen to Our Lord.
Click to hear Audio Homily
Do we have similar expectations about our spiritual life, expecting a one-time conversion experience or a spiritual highlight to change us from sinners to saints? A priest recently shared with me that a person who desires to transform his life cannot do it with going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and mass once in a while. The person must make it a daily habit to pray, to read and contemplate the Word of God in Scriptures, to participate regularly in the Eucharist, and to give his time to charitable works. The Christian life revolves around listening to Jesus, which entails actively seeking his will and actually doing his will, everyday.
In the Gospel today, the disciples of Jesus were invited to follow Jesus to a mountaintop to experience a special revelation of Jesus’ glory. But the real highlight of this experience was an instruction from Heavenly Father who said to the disciples, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." The Father was not only instructing the disciples to pay attention to Jesus, but to align our will to His.
What interferes with genuine listening to the Lord is the “noise” in our life--noise from radio in our cars, videos from our tablets, squawking news from TV, and all the busy activities. This is spiritual noise pollution. We need to stop being so busy and stop investing our attention in these things for so much of our day. We need to learn how to be quiet in front of the Lord and listen for his voice. We have to stop for a while telling him our wants, and listen to what He wants from us. And our Blessed Mother has the best advice for all of us, “Do whatever he tells you.”What can we do concretely today to begin this journey of transformation? Can we put on our calendar a period of time for praying with scriptures? Can we change our routine by placing remote controls away from where we normally sit and put a bible or a spiritual book next to the chair instead? Just as Our Lord found time to pray in silence to His Father in the midst of his demanding schedule, we also must carve out the time to truly listen to Our Lord.
