Homily, Lenten Sunday 2B
Most priests at some point during our time in seminary get the opportunity to travel to the Holy Land, to the places where Jesus walked. One of my favorite places to visit was Mt. Tabor, where we believe Jesus was transfigured in the presence of Peter, James, and John. Today, there’s a beautiful church at the top of Mt. Tabor that commemorates this scene from the Gospel, but what I remember even more vividly than the church was just the walk up that hill, and the walk back down with all its breathtaking views and various plants, like walking through a garden. Today, it probably takes just a couple hours to walk up the long path, but at the time of the Apostles, they wouldn’t have had the same roads and paths established, so it probably took longer. But if you choose to walk up, rather than taking the shuttle bus, it makes it easy to understand why St. Peter was so eager to camp out at the top. After spending so much time and effort climbing the mountain, and then finding Moses and Elijah with Jesus in all His glory, it would seem strange if Peter had not wanted to spend some extra time up there.
Most of us have had some mountaintop experiences, brief glimpses of the overwhelming glory of God, marveling at the beauty and grandeur of His creation, and spiritually, perhaps moments of having a more powerful appreciation of God’s infinite love for us. The challenge—even as it was for the Apostles—is to remember and continue to draw strength from those experiences, even after we’ve come back down from the mountain and find ourselves in the midst of trials and distractions. It’s no coincidence that Christ’s chosen witnesses to his Transfiguration and dazzling glory, the Apostles Peter, James, and John, will be the same three taken farther into the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper, to witness Jesus sweating blood during His great agony, when things no longer seemed to be going according to plan. Jesus had strengthened them for His Agony in the Garden by already showing them His glory on top of the mountain. The challenge for us is to continue to really listen to Jesus and put into practice His saving Truth long after the feelings and spiritual high of those mountaintop experiences have faded away.
I hear from a lot of people that go on TEC Retreats or Steubenville Conferences or other events that come off of those experiences feeling so close to God, so excited about the faith, so willing to give of themselves in service of others, but so often it just doesn’t last. Most of us fall back into our regular routines rather quickly and fail to make the changes and habits in our lives that would allow us to really begin experiencing the freedom and joy of following Christ with perseverance. Our prayer life quickly takes a backseat to ‘more pressing’ activities. We become too busy. But what could be more pressing or more important than our relationship with God, the one relationship above all others that should last for all eternity? There’s a saying that if the devil can’t make you wicked, he’ll at least keep you busy, and if we’re too busy to pray, we’re definitely too busy.
One of my sisters is a dental hygienist, and she understands the importance of consistency. If we don’t brush and floss every day, why should we expect to have healthy gums and teeth? And if we don’t take time to pray every day, why should we expect to be spiritually healthy? Until we change our habits, until we place God as the first and highest priority in our schedule of appointments each day, why should we expect much progress? A good rule of thumb that I’ve heard for spiritual health and a habit of prayer is one hour each day, one day every month, and one week out of the year. So we should set aside an hour every day to be alone with God, to reflect on the Scriptures, to really listen to Jesus and set aside the many distractions. And every Sunday should be a day of rest and prayer for us, but each month we should be even more deliberate to set aside an entire day, a day of repose, free from other activities and distractions, to receive from God the strength and renewal that we need. And every year, each one of us should set aside an entire week, not just for a vacation or a trip, but for a spiritual retreat. One hour every day, one day each month, and one week every year.
I’m convinced that we’re not very good at real rest and relaxation. Most forms of entertainment today serve only as mere distractions that let us escape or ignore—but never really come to terms with—the realities of life, and the reality of death and eternity. How many times have we gone on a trip or vacation only to end up more tired and worn out at the end than we were before leaving? God wants us to find in Him the peace that the world cannot give. He wants to strengthen us for the trials that lie ahead by showing us His glory. How often do we really look to Jesus for that peace, to contemplate the Face of Christ? Once a week? What if we would brush our teeth only once a week or once a month? If we want to see real improvement—progress in our spiritual lives—we need to make a real commitment. One hour every day, one day each month, one week every year. God wants more for us than a fleeting moment on a mountaintop. God wants us to live with Him for ever. So let’s get started today.
The Word Proclaimed 