CH-CH-CH-Changes!
Turn and face the strain, Changes!
Don’t want to be a richer man – just gonna have to be a
different man! Changes!
The incomparable David Bowie.
Yes, we all know about change because each of us have
experienced both simple and significant changes throughout our lives. So many changes! We have experienced both happy and pleasant
changes, like when I became a grandpa, and challenging changes, like my wife’s
recent health scare. She’s fine by the
way! And changes can be sad, like when I
lost my mom a few years back. Still
change happens!
I listened to those lyrics from David Bowie again Friday
night: gonna have to be a different man.
Then yesterday I heard these beautiful lyrics while on a retreat: Change
my heart oh God, may I be like You!
As people of faith, we are called to change; to be a
different man and to change our hearts like those of Him!
So we find ourselves at this second Sunday of Lent; a time
where we are building anticipation for the change we will experience. To help us prepare for change, the Church
always gives us on this particular Sunday, the Gospel of the
Transfiguration. This year we hear the
Transfiguration from the pages of the Gospel of Matthew. But why the Transfiguration today; why a
moment of profound change now? Because
just like Lent prepares us for the coming passion, death and resurrection of
Jesus, the Transfiguration does the same exact thing. Jesus knows that great change is coming soon,
and the Transfiguration will help his Apostles and his friends, endure the days
to come. Today’s Gospel passage marks
great change in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
It is now time for his Lordship to be revealed. On a very high mountain, with Peter, James
and John along for the journey, Jesus is present with the two great Old
Testament figures of Moses & Elijah as He reveals His true glory as
God! A moment of great change; Jesus at
the Transfiguration is glorified; Son of Man and Son of God the Father!
And this great moment of change, is truly a moment of Trinitarian
glory. Jesus, truly present as fully
human and fully divine with the Holy Spirit, in the form of a cloud, and God
the Father, speaking those powerful words: This is my beloved Son, listen to
Him! Oh most Holy Trinity, undivided
unity, God immortal, be adored!
This Transfiguration, this great moment of change, is used
by Jesus to prepare others for pending great change. By giving a glimpse of His divinity to Peter,
James and John, He hopes to give them courage and perseverance for the day when
Jesus will ascend another high mountain, the Mount of Calvary. And on that day, and the days to follow, the
greatest change indeed will come.
So we see that Lent, and the Transfiguration is a time of
change and preparation. Today is a very
good day to be here, to discuss our Lenten journey and ask ourselves, will I
really use this Lent to change; to really change?
For Lent, have I made a commitment to give up
something? If so, do I do so with
joy? Do I understand why we do this?
Have I made a decision to do something kind or generous for
another? If so, do I do so with
joy? Do I understand why we do this?
For us here at Most Holy Trinity have I visited the
Sacrament of Reconciliation in Lent? If
not, make a plan to do so soon!
Have I attended one of the Stations of the Cross? Here at MHT, we have Stations every Friday in
the morning, after Mass, and again at 6 PM.
Come to Stations of the Cross!
Do I plan to attend our evening of reflection here on March
27th; an opportunity to learn more about our need to change?
In the week ahead, can I make a commitment to pray the
Rosary, perhaps the Luminous Mysteries on Thursday, one of the mysteries being
the Transfiguration? Or perhaps I can
pray with today’s Scripture and reflect on my own need to change!
Yes, it might be our time to face the strain, to be the
different man, to change my heart.
CH-CH-CH-Changes; it’s time to change!
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