4) THE PRESENTATION

What were the ten top moments you were present to in your life?

Life is filled with moments when we have to present ourselves: trying to get into a certain college; writing a resume in hopes of getting a job; giving a talk; going out on the first date with someone; coming into a church.

It’s 4 PM. The church is quiet and 3 people are sitting there in the semi-darkness praying. One person is praying for peace in the world. A second is praying for a daughter who is all “messed up”. The third is sitting there praising God for a lifetime of blessings.

The baptistry in the vestibule of the church is very noisy. Praise God. 6 kids are being baptized.

The church is packed. 114 kids are making their first communion.

The church is packed. 98 kids are making their confirmation.

It’s Holy Saturday night and the Easter Vigil is about to begin. 23 people are coming into the Church after months and months of attending the R.C.I.A. program every Wednesday evening, 7:00 to 8:30.

It’s a kids’ Mass and this little third grader slowly climbs the steps into the sanctuary, heads for the podium, adjusts some portable wooden steps, then grabs and grapples with the microphone, which makes a neck wrenching sound, and then this little third grader announces to the church full of schoolmates and teachers, “A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles” and her mother and father are off to the side crying as if their kid just won an Olympic Gold Medal.

It’s 13 years later and that same kid and that same mother and father are once more in the presence of a big crowd and this time their daughter is graduating from college, summa cum laude – and once more her parents are crying tears of joy.

It’s 2 years later and that same daughter is marching down the aisle of her childhood church, arm and arm with her dad, who lifts her veil, gives her a big hug and kiss and presents his daughter to his future son-in-law. Bride and groom then proceed up the steps into that same church sanctuary of her childhood to make their wedding vows. And “Yes”, once more her parents are crying.

Each morning God the teacher calls out our name. “Is my answer, “Present!”

And Joseph and Mary took their son Jesus and presented him to the Lord in the temple – and yes, they too, like all parents, cried their tears of joy.

Jesus is present.

Jesus is here.

Am I where I am?

Am I present?

Am I aware of the presents in life’s presentation moments?

5) THE FINDING

What was the biggest find in your life?

Is it a person, place or thing?

Have you ever been lost?

Have you ever been found?

Have you ever lost God?

Have you ever found God?

Have you ever looked for God?

A tourist walks into a famous cathedral in a foreign country as part of a guided tour of mostly retired folks. A ray of light from one of the stained glass windows is hitting a crucifix hanging by chains above the sanctuary. At that moment the tourist realizes he has lost his faith and now he has to begin to find it after all these years.

A junior at a state university sees a sign on a bulletin board about a weekend retreat sponsored by the Newman Club at the college – checks it out – attends the retreat – and comes back to church for the first time since his confirmation.

A woman is on vacation – playing miniature golf with her grandkids. And she realizes after 35 years of anger that she is only hurting herself by not going to church. When she drove to the parish office to see a priest after her husband died – 35 years ago, she saw the priest putting his golf bag and luggage into the trunk of his car. He said he was running late and heading to the airport. She hadn’t called. He said he was sorry he had to run. He gave her the name of the priest who was coming in that afternoon to cover for him while he was taking a week’s vacation. For 35 years she thought he should have dropped everything to listen to her. She now laughed at herself as she got a hole in one and her grandkids said, “Way to go granny.” She came back to church finally.

For Augustine it was listening to the sermons of St. Ambrose and in God’s good time picking up and reading Paul’s Letter to the Romans.

For Thomas Merton it was many experiences, but especially picking up and reading The Confessions of St. Augustine.

A woman finds a lost coin ….

A shepherd finds a lost sheep ….

A father spots a lost son from a distance on the road back home ….

And Mary and Joseph discovered they lost son, Jesus. They had left him back in Jerusalem. Each thought he was with the other. Such are the things that can happen when men travel with men and women travel with women – and their kids travel with either parent – as is the custom in Mediterranean cultures. And Mary and Joseph turned around, went back to Jerusalem together and found Jesus in the temple.

Jesus is everywhere.

Start looking! You just might find him.

Start looking. God might be looking for you?

Get found.

THE
MYSTERIES OF LIGHT

Life also has its mysteries of light – moments when we see the light – breakthrough moments – moments when things dawn on us – finally.

Here are 5 mysteries and moments of light from the life of Jesus, the Light of the world, mysteries and moments we all go through as well:

1) The Baptism of Jesus: those moments when we realize we are a child of God – that we are beloved – as well as all those surrounding us in human family – called to be washed in the waters of life.

2) The Wedding at Cana: those moments when we felt empty – in our marriages – in our family – in our life – and we finally understand Mary’s words, “Do whatever he tells you!” and we do what Jesus asks us to do as good stewards and our life is filled to the brim again – sparkling with the new wine of life.

3) The Proclamation of the Kingdom: those moments in life when this earth’s boundaries disappear – and we glimpse what Jesus was about – the Kingdom now, the Kingdom within, the Kingdom that has no boundaries, the kingdom that is forever.

4) The Transfiguration: those mountain moments in life when we see through everything and all is light – and we see Christ the Light of the world in every sparkling moment – but we know these moments don’t last and we have to go back down into the everyday valleys of life.

5) Jesus Gives Us the Eucharist: those moments in life when we are eating at the family table as well as in church and we have the experience of being in communion and covenant with each other.

1) THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

What are the baptisms you remember?

We walk towards a church. We open the door. We walk into the vestibule. We open a second door. We stop. We pause for a moment at the doorway of this sacred place, this sacred space. We dip the tip of our finger into the holy water font. We say the words that were poured over us with water at our baptism, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

And every parent at the birth and hopefully the baptism of every one of their children says from the sky of their minds, “This is my beloved daughter…. This is my beloved son. This child is a gift from God. I’m going to try to listen to her.”

And every parent at the baptism of every one of their children hopes that this child will be someone who will make this world a better place to live in – that this child will be a fifth gospel, the Good News according to (Name of the Child), that this child will be listened to, because this child and every child is New News, Good News from God.

Water. Water. Everywhere. Look at a globe. 75% of the world is water.

And every person knows the restorative power of a good shower or a slow bath – water bouncing or embracing our skin, relaxing our muscles, cleansing us, healing us, and putting a smile on our body and on our soul.

And every person knows the curing power of rivers and lakes, oceans and waterfalls: sacred places, sacred presences of the mystery of water and of God.

Not everyone can make a pilgrimage sometime in their life to the Jordan River in the Holy Land, but every person can close their eyes and be in the presence of the River called Jesus – and let his Holy Spirit descend upon him or her – and hear the sacred words, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.”

When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan river, he was joining in the call to repentance, the call to start again, to cross the Jordan river again – entering into the Promised Land and bringing about the dream of God – the reason why God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to freedom and a new life in the first place.

Baptism is a call to “Come to the waters.”

Baptism is a call to “Repent!”

Baptism is a call to enter into a new way of life with and in and through Jesus.

Jesus is here.

2) THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA

What were the weddings you remember?

And Jesus was invited with his disciples to a wedding feast in the city of Cana, in Galilee. And the mother of Jesus was there.

Weddings are moments of new life. Weddings challenge the couple getting married to make great vows to each other – and to keep them till death do they part.

Weddings also trigger a cascade of marriage thoughts and memories in the minds and hearts and tears of those attending the wedding.

Wedding invitations get us to look at our calendars and our schedules. The couple who sent us an invitation hope we will say, “Yes we’ll be there.”

Weddings are moments of music and dance, prayers and hopes, food and drink, toasts and blessings.

Weddings bring about not only the marriage of a man and a woman, but also the marriage of families and traditions, stories and dreams.

And Jesus went to a wedding at Cana. His disciples went with him – as well as his mother. It must have been some celebration because they ran out of wine. Mary, a Jewish mother, stepped in and did what she did best. She asked her son, Jesus, to help. He said, “It wasn’t his time, yet.” Mary, knowing her son, said to the waiters, “Do whatever he tells you.” And Jesus did something. He gave this couple and every married couple – the possibility of the never ending wine of love – a never ending celebration of life – a never ending marriage of helping one another.

The Gospel of John tells us, “This was the first of the signs given by Jesus. It happened at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen and his disciples believed in him” (John 2:11)

A wedding is only a beginning. Hopefully, for the Christian, if it begins with Jesus, hopefully it will continue with Jesus. If it does the couple will see many more signs of life.
In time, the ordinary will become extraordinary. Couples see this with the birth of a child, especially the first child, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, and family celebrations.

In time, water can become bread and wine. The rain, the sun, the earth, bring forth grapes on the vine and wheat in our fields. They come to our table as bread and wine – and then they become us – the body and blood of each other around the table.

All is connected. All is covenant. All is Eucharist. All is the great wedding banquet of life – that started at Cana – that started at creation – that continues with the daily mass of life.

Jesus is waiting to be invited into the marriage of your life.

3) THE PROCLAMATION 
OF THE KINGDOM

“Thy Kingdom come.”

When you say the Our Father, what comes to mind when you say, “Thy Kingdom come.”

People dream of making it in this life – to finally come into their kingdom: a kingdom of good health, a good education, a good job, a good car, a home of their own, a good backyard with a tree, a swing, and some tomato plants, money in the bank, a good vacation every year, a family enjoying life and food around the dinner table, seeing their children’s children at least to the fifth generation – and everyone doing well.

Everyone has dreams.

It’s their magical kingdom in the deep woods of their mind.

May our dreams come true.

Thy Kingdom come.

Jesus came with dreams from the Father.

Thy Kingdom come.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

Blessed are you who cry – because that means you’ve tasted what makes you laugh.

Blessed are you who laugh, because that means you can see both sides of the kingdom – what’s right and what’s wrong; what’s fair and what’s unfair; what’s rich and what’s poor; what’s enough and what’s not enough; what divides and what unites.

Blessed are you who are willing to be hurt and laughed at because you’re willing to work for justice, for fairness, for what is right for all.

Blessed are you who have a glimpse of what Jesus was trying to plant and to start growing: the kingdom.
Thy kingdom come.

Make your way through towns and villages living and preaching and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Go into the whole world and live and proclaim the Kingdom of God….

Proclaim Good News – the good news of forgiveness, peace, trust, enough food and drink, bread and fish, bread and wine for all.

Proclaim the call to conversion, newness of life, healing, walking the narrow way to the mansion built on rock, with the new garden, the kingdom of heaven – starting here and now and going on forever and ever and ever.

The Kingdom of God is within.

The Kingdom of God is at hand.

The Kingdom of God is like yeast or leaven ….
The Kingdom of God is like a banquet ….

Blessed is he or she who eats bread in the Kingdom of God.

Watch the flowers of the field, the wheat rising, the grapes growing and glistening, the lost sheep being found and you’ll see glimpses of the Kingdom.

Stop judging. Stop throwing rocks. Start forgiving and you’ll be a glimpse of the kingdom.

Watch children and you’ll get glimpses of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these

Come with me and proclaim the kingdom of God.

Blessed is he and she and all who eat bread in the kingdom of God (Luke 14:15)

The kingdom of heaven is like a woman who has ten coins and losing one, lights a lamp and sweeps our her house completely till she has found it. And then when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says, “Rejoice with me. I have found my lost coin.”

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone finds, hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything she or he has and then buys the field.

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fisherman haul it ashore, then sitting down, they collect the good stuff in a basket and throw away what is of no use.

The kingdom of heaven is like a sharp person who can bring out of their storeroom both the new and the old.

No one can enter into God’s kingdom without being born again from above…. though water and the Spirit …..

Jesus is the king of this kingdom.

Jesus is a king who feeds folks and washes feet.

Jesus is a king who walks the roads of everywhere and once rode a donkey into Jerusalem.

Jesus is a king who has no home or palace – a king who wore a crown only once – at the end of his life and it was made not of gold, but of thorns.

Yet Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Come let us adore him.

Come with him and proclaim the kingdom.

Thy kingdom come.

Jesus makes the Kingdom possible.

4) THE TRANSFIGURATION

Looking at the story of your life, when did you experience “Transfiguration Moments” when someone or some place or something or God was seen in a totally new light?

Too many times as we speed down the highway of life we don’t stop when we see the sign, “Scenic overview.”

Too many people have never climbed a mountain. As a result they don’t appreciate life in the valley as much as they could – if they “have been to the mountain.”

Few people climb Mount Everest – but lots of people climb smaller mountains as part of the story of their life.

Good shoes, good guides, good friends, good food, make climbing a mountain that much easier.

From the top of a mountain, “On a clear day, you can almost see forever”.

It’s important to climb mountains – to go to the peak and stop and see one’s life – to look up to the sky and know that God is above us and that we are not God – to look down and see where we’ve come from – and to know we can’t stay on top forever.

But it’s good to have been there – on top for a while.

Mountains are for peak experiences; valleys are for everyday life.

Jesus knew the importance of going to the mountain – to be with his Father in prayer and vision.

Jesus knew the importance of taking time off to climb a mountain with close friends.

And on that mountain Jesus was transfigured – in bright white light – and his clothes became whiter than any bleacher could bleach them – and his disciples were mesmerized and transformed by that vision –and they heard again the voice from the clouds that Jesus heard at his baptism. “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.”

On her wedding day, a bride comes down the aisle all dressed in white and her about-to-be husband wasn’t allowed to see her transfigured this way as a queen till that moment – and he sees her in the light of that moment on the most beautiful day of her life – and he vows to honor her and cherish her all the days of their life together. And then they come down the aisle and down from their honeymoon together and hopefully the wedding vision of his beloved never fades.

In the baseball movie, The Natural, Roy Hobbs is in the middle of a batting slump. He’s in the middle of going the wrong way with the wrong woman in his life. It’s a road game. He’s not at home. He stops before coming to home plate. He senses something is different. Someone is high in the stands rooting for him. She’s standing up while everyone else is seated. It’s a woman in white – in a bright white dress - the right woman in his life – the woman he forgot when left home for a baseball career. And everything went wrong when he went to see the woman in the black dress who shot him. And he hits a home run and breaks out of his batting slump. And after the game he meets the woman in white – his childhood sweetheart – and they talk and he tells her everything that happened to him – how things went wrong and how he didn’t see it coming – and everything slowly starts turning for the better.

In the speeches of Martin Luther King Jr. he loved to preach, “I’ve been to the mountain.” He had been. And once you’ve been there, once you have your life’s vision, all other visions are blackened and blocked out in the light of that vision – that life calling – and you can go on, no matter what happens – no matter who tries to shoot you down.

Transfiguration moments are mountain moments in our life. We need them. We need vacations and weekends: when we can stop to see the dawn in the morning or the stars at night – when we can slow down and smell the roses – when we play catch or read with one of the kids – when we be in church and be in communion and in prayer with Jesus and hear the words of the Father, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

Jesus invites everyone as a personal friend to climb the mountain.