ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

"Lord, it is good that we are here."

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. Now and forever!

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

On this Second Sunday of Lent, I welcome you to the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. As I celebrate together with you our brothers and sisters with disabilities, your families, friends and care providers I proclaim the words spoken by Peter on the mountaintop with Jesus, Lord, it is good that we are here@ (Mt 17:4). It is good for us to be here because we gather to celebrate the cherished expression of God=s vision that is present here in you, our brothers and sisters with disabilities. We honor the gifts and the crosses carried so lovingly in your lives. How you enrich our Church with your lives, with your faith, with your witness, your courage and your love! Today we praise and thank God for bringing us together around the altar of the Sacrament of Christ=s love, the Eucharist. We praise God for the dignity and profound equality which we enjoy in God=s love as we contemplate the gospel story of Jesus= Transfiguration.

In today=s gospel, Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain to be alone with Him. These three disciples of Jesus were given a special and unique invitation into a profoundly intimate encounter with the Lord, Jesus. In an instance, Peter, James and John saw Jesus transfigured before them, resplendent with divine light, His garments shining like the sun this same Jesus with whom only a few moments before, they were climbing the slope together; this same Jesus who, soon afterward, will resume in their eyes his usual appearance; this same Jesus whom, later on, they will see disfigured by human outrages beyond their imaginings and hanging on the cross.

In the Transfiguration, Peter, James and John saw that there was more to Jesus than what they could see, hear and touch. They were given a glimpse of the future glory of Jesus= resurrection. It was an extraordinary privilege. Our celebration of Jesus= Transfiguration today, during this season of Lent, reminds us of the glory of the risen Jesus after His death on the cross. It reminds us that the penance of Lent will give way to the joy of Easter, just as it reminds us that the suffering of this life will give way to the joy of eternal life. In his Second Letter to the Corinthians St. Paul wrote these words which we sang in our entrance hymn: AWe walk by faith, not by sight@ (2 Cor 5:7), meaning that, even though we do not see God, nevertheless we believe. Truly all of us here walk by the light of faith not by sight. Yet, there are times when God does send us clear glimpses of His presence in our lives and his wondrous love for us. We get glimpses of God in the love we receive from other people; when badly needed help suddenly comes to us from out of nowhere; when we look back over our lives and what we couldn=t understand in the past seems to make sense and gives us renewed hope. We see glimpses of God when we see parents and caregivers caring lovingly for another without counting the costs. We see glimpses of God when a passage from the Bible or a homily strikes a cord in our hearts. We are given a glimpse of God when we spend time in prayer and contemplate the loving presence of God in our lives. We get more than just a glimpse of God when we receive the Body of Jesus in Holy Communion. These are the little transfigurations that keep us going when times are tough.

When Jesus and the disciples came down the mountain Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone about His Transfiguration until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. Of course they did not know what He meant. Unknown to them, the glory of Jesus= Transfiguration was preparing them to accept the scandal of the cross. They would understand this only afterwards when looking back. The good times take us through the bad times. So when our cross is heavy or when we are tempted to despair about the meaning of life, let us look beyond the pain of the present moment and remember those times when we are given glimpses of God, those times when God invites each of us to experience deeply his intimate presence in our lives. Let us look beyond the pain of life and see the presence of God in our world, and the offer of abundant life that God wants to make to each of us. Let us look beyond the illusion of happiness that this life offers to the real happiness that God offers us. Let us look beyond this world to eternal life with God.

The second reading today gives us an insight into what God has destined for us, AHe 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, but now made manifest@ (2 Tim 1:9). God=s grace has been granted to us before the beginning of time. Imagine, since the beginning of time God had you in his plan and had his grace planned for you. Since the beginning of time God planned to transform you through his Son, Jesus.
In our first reading we heard Abram being called by God to leave his home and go to a new country (cf. Gen 12:1-4). He was seventy-five when called to leave his own country but he had to wait another twenty-five years for the promised son, Isaac to be born, so that the promise of future descendants could be fulfilled. That was a long wait. All of us here know the patience needed to wait. Abraham is a wonderful example of enduring faith as he waits patiently looking courageously beyond the present, beyond what he can see with his eyes to the promise of God known only by faith. Just as AAll communities of the earth shall find blessing@ (Gen. 12:4) in Abraham=s faith, our communities find blessing through our ardent faith, enduring hope and vibrant love.

On the mountain Peter, James and John looked beyond the appearance of Jesus and saw his future glory. Let us look beyond, and see that God is really with us. God has not left us on our own, God is with us. Just as Jesus revealed to Peter, James and John the eternal now of His own glory on the mountaintop, here within this Cathedral Basilica, within the sacred Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist God=s presence is with us. Jesus was doing so much more than simply encouraging Peter, James and John. Jesus was showing them who He was, and who they would become in Him. He was revealing to them what had already begun, giving them a vision that would forever change the way they viewed themselves, their daily lives and their mission. Just as Jesus said to the three disciples, He says to us: ARise and do not be afraid@ (Mt 17:8). Let each of us take heart, and with a glimpse of the glory that is to come let us choose Jesus in our daily lives. When we do this, we allow Him to transfigure us and lead us through the difficulties of our present life to be with Him in His eternal glory. Amen.