Homily for Second Sunday of Lent cycle B Feb 28, 2021

 Homily for Second Sunday of Lent   cycle B      Feb 28, 2021

 

Our First reading today, about Abraham being told to sacrifice his son, Isaac, is more than I can handle today, so I am going to focus on the Gospel. 

 

          We are told, “Jesus took Peter, James, and John 
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.”

          What mountain?   Which mountain?  Tradition says it was Mt. Tabor, but Mark doesn’t tell us that.  Neither do Matthew nor Luke name the mountain in their versions of the Transfiguration.

          Were the Evangelists sloppy, poor reporters?   How could they leave out an important fact like on which mountain this occurred?

          Well, the reason they don’t bother to tell us the name is that they are not telling only about an actual historical occurrence, but also a paradigm, a model, of a certain kind of encounter with Jesus.

          You see, what the Gospel writers are really talking about is a certain kind of peak experience, a “mountain top” spiritual experience that could be experienced by many more disciples than just Peter, James and John.  It could even be us.

          Jesus takes the three Apostles apart by themselves.   Anyone here, during this very long and lonely year of Covid have the experience of feeling apart by yourself?   I have.    //

          I think that what Jesus is doing for these three Apostles is taking them on a retreat, a day of recollection and prayer, like you might do up at the Diocesan retreat house Cedarbrake, or Lake George with the Paulists, or somewhere else.  It is an opportunity to disengage from all the normal pursuits that occupy and distract us during normal life, to spend time purposely focusing on our relationship with Jesus.  And that is what happens to the three Apostles.

          The Apostles have an experience.  Not one they sought.  Not one they can control.  And so, they are out of their comfort zone.  We are told they are terrified.  Meeting a strong spiritual force is always very uncomfortable.   And yet it is good.  Peter declares: “Rabbi, it is good that we are here.” 

          Any meaningful and intense experience of prayer is always scary; because we are not in control.  We cannot direct it.  We are not in charge.  We can only go along and allow our selves to be led. 

          The result of this experience is a much deeper and significant understanding of who Jesus is for them.  “from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son.  Listen to him.”   A very important, indeed life changing, revelation.   “This is my beloved Son.  Listen to him.”

          Not many of us can afford the time and money to go on a long retreat at some retreat house.  But during this time of Lent, every one of us can find time every day to do what God the Father commands us in this Gospel: “Listen to him.”  Maybe it is ten minutes, or only five.  But learn from this Gospel and start climbing that interior mountain, to be with Jesus, to let go of all the distractions and worries and concerns of daily life, to focus solely on Him, and allow yourself to be lead, to be challenged, even to be blown away.  Don’t talk all the time.  LISTEN to Him!

          What mountain was this?  It is the mountain of your own heart.  This Lent Jesus is inviting you to come along with Him, by yourself, to experience His power, His truth, His love.  He will be Transfigured.