-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass At 5:30 PM on Saturday and at 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM on Sunday
Building church
On this second Sunday in the season of Lent we always have the presentation of the Transfiguration. Jesus takes James, John and Peter up the mountain and is there transfigured before them. At the top of the mountain Peter, James, and John encounter three great figures Moses, Elijah, and Jesus transfigured. I would like to take two snapshots here - of those two triplets.
Moses, Elijah, and Jesus transfigured
What we know and have learned from the old testament is that these three figures in this first photograph, to the eyes of good Jews like Peter, James, and John, tells a great story. As you will recall it was Moses and Elijah who both went up Mount Sinai in the midst of serious trial and were strengthened and consoled by an encounter with God. Moses, you will recall, put his face in the cleft of the rock as God passed by and he claimed to only see God's back. Likewise, Elijah went up Mount Sinai and God revealed himself in the small silent voice. We now have Moses and Elijah making a return visit to the mountaintop and this time they get to see God face to face: Jesus transfigured.. The lesson: Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and Jesus is the God revealed to Moses and Elijah.
Peter, James, and John
The other snapshot of the triplet of Peter, James, and John has them, like Moses and Elijah, on the top of this mountain encountering God. And as if that vision or encounter wasn’t enough, the glory cloud comes down upon them and, as with the blessed virgin Mary, the Spirit of God overshadows them. What is conceived among them and the result of this encounter with God on the mountain is nothing less then the church.
Church at home
We are this week beginning church at home 2018. Hundreds of our parishioners have been willing to make the journey up the mountain (I know it is not an easy one for many people) to a neighbor’s house for a church meeting. As with these triplets in the transfiguration, God‘s face will be revealed in these gatherings. And also, as with Peter, James and John, Church will be built among them and within them. Our Catholic faith reminds us first and foremost that the God of heaven and earth has come to save us and it is in our making the sacrificial choice for church that we encounter God and are built into God‘s holy temple, God’s holy people, God’s holy body in Christ.
The theme of our church at home journey is in fact the call to sacrifice by sharing our lives of faith. If you did not sign up for church at home yet you can still do so. Join us in meeting God and building church.
1 comment:
I appreciate you calling attention to the two sets of three.It reminds me of the richness of relationship that comes when there is more than one or two. Three begins to break beyond the boundary of what otherwise would be solitude with only or exclusive with only two. Your reflection gives beautiful credence to what is possible through our Church@Home conversations. No doubt we will have many conversations around the parish that otherwise would never have taken place without the encouragement to come together and share. I'm looking forward to the weeks ahead.
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