WE NEED MOUNTAIN MOMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Today is the Second Sunday in Lent - Year C. 

Reflecting on today's gospel, I would like to preach on the theme that to be human we need “Transfiguration Moments.” Or if that sounds esoteric, “We human beings need mountain moments.”

By mountain moments, I mean peak experiences. I mean moments when we are transfigured. I mean moments when we see who we are and/or who the other person is in a transfigured way, in a transparent way.

In a transfiguration moment we see the big picture. We see through everything and we see God. We are exalted. 

And because the moment is so moving, we don’t want to move. We want to freeze the scene. We want to put it in our scrapbook forever. 

However, as we heard in today’s gospel, that’s unreal. We need to move on. We need to move ahead. We need to come down to  earth and get back to the ordinary from the extraordinary.

TRANSFIGURATION

"Trans" meaning across. We’ve heard the prefix in different words: transportation; transaction; transfusion; transcribe; transfer; transit; translate; transplant; transmission - and the big one in our Mass: transubstantiation. 

Transfiguration moments are moments that take us out of ourselves. They take us across time and space. They take us away from where we are. They are peace moments. They are moments when we are in a trance.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING

I hope that everyone here at least once in their life was on a mountain. I hope that everyone here had a chance sometime in their life to climb a mountain. Well, at least in a car.... We’ve all seen cars with the bumper sticker, “This car climbed Mt. Washington.”

If you are ever driving on an interstate or any highway - stress on the high - and you see a sign saying, “Scenic Overview,”  STOP!  It’s a chance to see the valleys.

Or maybe, you’ve been to New Hampshire or Colorado. You drive along and you stop the car to look out.  “On a clear day you can see forever.” “I’ve been to the mountain.”

We need mountain moments. And as a result, we can say what the friends of Jesus say, “It’s good to be here.”

MOUNTAIN MOMENTS

We need mountain moments in our life. We need transfiguration moments. To deal with the valley below. To deal with the everyday. I’ve been to the mountain. To go to the mountain to see the big picture. To see the whole picture. To see where we’ve been and where we are and where we are headed. To see the map. To see our story.

So we need mountain moments. We need feast days. We need anniversaries. We need high points. We need days off when we look back down and around. We need Sabbaticals. We need Saturdays and Sundays: Sabbath. We need time to get away from work, from TV, from noise, from everything, and be with God.

We need vacations.

We need back porches - empty houses for just me, myself, and I - long drives by ourselves.

We need mountain moments.

ALTITUDE AFFECTS ATTITUDES

When we see things from way up, small things seem smaller and even big things seem small. Airplane views give us perspective. Altitude affects attitude. Distance can give us depth.

So we need mountain moments to deal with our disintegration and  our integration. Mountain moments can help us to see it all.

We need highs, so that we can deal with our lows.

LIFE’S MOMENTS

We need to see the baby, first grandson or daughter to help us to see that all the sacrifice is, has, and will be worth while.

We need graduation moments, marriage moments, retirement parties, birthday parties, family and parish celebrations, to help us to see who we are and what we have done - that all the work is worthwhile.

MARY’S MOMENT

Mary’s moment was the Annunciation moment. She said “yes” and she was transfigured. She was able to deal with the crosses that pierced her heart. She understood in a flash, what it's all about.

She says at Cana to the waiters, what the Father said at the Transfiguration, “Listen to him.”

SCALA

We Redemptorists have often heard about our founder, St. Alphonsus’ Transfiguration moment. He was on vacation for his health on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. In front of him was a beautiful beach and perfect water. If he turned his back to the water and looked up there was a mountain above him. He walked the almost 1000 steps ["scala"] up to a little village called, “Scala” - just across from Ravello - and saw the rest of his life. He saw his dream job up there: reaching out to preach Good News to poor goat herders - to those nobody was reaching out to. Altitudes affect attitude. Heights can give us depth. Alphonsus’ life changed up on those heights. 

On a clear day, you can see forever. You can become upbeat - and then come down a new person.

So we need mountain moments. To see the valley below. We need transfiguration moments. So we can deal with Kedron and Gogatha and Calvary moments. 

BERNARD BASSET

I’m assuming that death is a transfiguration moment. We will see it all! We will know it all. Then we have all eternity to sort it out.

I say this because of what people say when they are in near death situations: “My whole life passed before me!”

I’m assuming when we die, the top moments peak. They rise to the top. They are transfiguration moments.

I still remember a moment from a late night talk show by Johnny Carson. He had Bernard Bassett, the Jesuit, on the show that night. Bernard said that when he died, he would want to see his dad first - because the older he got, the more questions he had. Don’t we all?

I’m assuming moments like that are part of the moment called “eternity”. We’ll meet Christ. And we’ll probably be like the disciples in today's gospel. We’ll want to be there for ever!

Sometimes I picture death being like the airport experience.

When we are at an airport, we see people step back when someone arrives and the family allows the most important person to see the person who just arrived  first. Husband, wife, mom, dad.  So too us, when we die our parents will step back so we can meet Christ first. The Risen One, the transfigured one, the high Christ and also the Valley Christ. The good shepherd from the hills and the carpenter from the shop.

It’s like being in a plane. Everything comes into perspective from up there.

A guy was on his first airplane flight. The guy next to him asked, “Are you nervous?” He says, “Yeah, but what really amazes me is how small the people down there are. They look like ants.” The other guy replied. “They are ants. We haven’t taken off yet.”

CONCLUSION

In the meanwhile, we still have miles and miles to go before we sleep as Robert Frost’s poem puts it, but it’s good  to do some reflecting on all this and to have a Transfiguration Moment now and then. Amen.

WHAT ARE YOU 
LOOKING FOR?

Quote for Today - February 24,  2013

"Kilimanjaro is a snow-covered mountain 19,710 feet high, and is said to be the highest mountain in Africa. Its western summit is called the Masai "Ngaje Ngai," the House of God. Close to the western summit there is the dried and frozen carcass of a leopard. No one has explained what the leopard was seeking at that altitude."

Ernest Hemingway [1899-1961], The Fifth Column and The First Forty-nine Stories [1938]. The Snows of Kilimanjaro, epigraph.

Question: What are you seeking? Or as Hannibal Lecter keeps asking Clarice in The Silence of the Lambs [1991]: What do you see? What do you want? What do you desire? What do you covet?

BIG SMALL HUMILITY

Quote for Today  - February 23,  2013

"Don't make yourself so big. You are not so small."

Jewish Proverb

THE POPE AND A HOPE

INTRODUCTION

The title of today’s feast is: The Chair of Saint Peter - Apostle.

The title of my homily is, “The Pope and A Hope.”

As Catholics we hope for a good pope.

With a conclave to elect a new pope about to happen next month - our hope and prayer is that the cardinals pick a leader and a saint - to lead us for the next decade or what have you.

I would assume that most of us here have been alive for a whole series of popes in our lifetime: Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul  II, and Benedict XVI. Did I leave anyone out?

UNITY

It’s nice to know who’s in charge - who’s the leader - who’s a focal point - who represents us to the world - and challenges us to be good Christians.

Please talk to each other about your takes on the different popes you’ve experienced in your lifetime. It’s a good breakfast or lunch or coffee break topic.  Right now a lot of people - not just Catholics - are wondering and taking about popes - and Catholics.

I hope and pray that those Catholics  who have dropped out - will drop into a Catholic Church - light a candle, say a prayer - and I hope a light goes on in their minds and hearts once again.

JAMES O’TOOLE

James O’Toole in his book The Faithful, A History of Catholics in America points out in his introduction that American Catholics define themselves in relation to the pope. In our history we’ve been attacked  for having allegiance to a foreign leader - the Pope - and in general we have not backed down. We have the American flag and the Vatican flag in our churches. Many people have pictures of the pope in their homes.

Around the world - and down through history - this has not always been the story. We’ve had some disasters as popes. We’ve had popes who were prisoners. We’ve had popes who have had no impact on Catholic lives.

MITCH ALBOM’S BOOK: THE 5 PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN

Concerning the question of impact, let me go this way for a few moments. I liked Mitch Albom’s book, The 5 People You Meet in Heaven.

I say that because I assume heaven is one big chance to go meet all the people in the world - whom we never met - or had no idea how much they influenced our lives or we theirs - some of whom will have been  popes - but probably nothing like our 2^nd grade teacher or a barber or hair dresser or a buddy who was next to us all through our time in the service or what have you.

I like Mitch Albom’s book The 5 People You Meet in Heaven - because it gives a better take on heaven than mansions and green fields, sheep and goats, ice cream and banquets.

In this book Mitch Albom tells the story of an 83 year old guy named Eddie - who was a maintenance man at an amusement park. When he was young he was optimistic. In his old age he became lonely, bored and filled with too many regrets.  Tragically he dies on his 83^rd birthday trying to save a little girl from a falling cart.

He wakes up in heaven and discovers 5 people who help explain his earthy life and about the impact and change we have on each other.

The book sold over 12 million copies - in 35 languages.

I wonder how many of those 12 million and many more were changed by reading that book.

THE CHAIR

A thought for the day is to think about that. Who have we impacted? Whose life changed our life?

Here’s an exercise. Take a chair. Place it right there empty in front of us - we sitting in our favorite chair.

Put in that chair the different people in our life. Invite them to sit  their one by one. Mom. Dad. Brothers. Sisters. Friends. Teachers. If you have a piece of paper in hand - it would help to make a list - and put them in that chair one by one.

You don’t have to do this all at once. Do one person at a time.

This could lead to prayer. This could lead to gratitude. This could lead to forgiveness. This could lead to peace.

In today’s gospel Jesus asks his disciples and Peter, “Who do you say I am?”

Peter said, “You are the Christ the son of the Living God.”

Make sure you put Jesus in that chair in front of you.  And answer that question that Jesus asked his disciples.

And ask that question of all the people you put in that chair.

As to popes, I wouldn’t put any of them in that chair. I really don’t know any pope. I’ve read biographies of John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II, but I’d have to say, “I don’t know them - like I know the priests in the rectory or the people in my family or in my life.

So maybe I’ll get to know them in heaven. I hope so - there’s no time limits to eternity.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, "The Pope and A Hope."

What do I hope to see in a pope?  Being a Redemptorist, I would say what our founder, St. Alphonsus de Liguori, would say: practice loving Jesus Christ. I see that as Job # 1 for the pope.

REVOLUTION

Quote for Today - February 22, 2013

"A radical revolution, embracing even nature itself, was the fundamental idea of Jesus."

Joseph Ernest Renan [1823-1892]

Question:

What would you list as the 3 key fundamental ideas of Jesus. Then put them in order of their importance.

THE POWER OF HUMOR

Quote for Today - February 21,  2013

"Next to power without honor, the most dangerous thing in the world is power without humor."

Eric Sevareid [1912-1992]

CAN PEOPLE CHANGE?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily  for this First Wednesday in Lent is, “Can People Change?”

I consider that question - “Can People Change?” - one of life’s biggest questions.  There are other big questions:

·        “Why do people self destruct?”

·        “Why suffering?”

·        “Why death now?”

·        “Why did this person love me and then stop   loving me?”

·        “Why do some people get it and others don’t?”

Those are some first draft questions. I’m sure on second draft, and twentieth draft, lots of thinking and rethinking, I’d have better big lifetime questions, but the clock was ticking and I had to come up with a homily for today.

I know however, my question for today, “Can People Change?”, would  be on every draft - because it’s a question I’ve been asking all my life.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings trigger these thoughts - about this key question: “Can People Change”?

In today’s first reading from Jonah, we find out that the people of Nineveh changed. In the story of Jonah we know that he changed - but it wasn’t his doing. He was forced into being a preacher. He is called at times, “The Reluctant Prophet!” 

When God called him, he got in a boat and went the other way.

You know the story - and it’s an interesting story.

In today’s gospel we read about Jesus’ frustration with the people in his time - who want a sign - then perhaps they will change.

Jesus knew the human heart. Jesus knew people. Jesus knew that people work hard at coming up with excuses for not changing.

SO, CAN  PEOPLE CHANGE?

Can the person who is overweight, big time, change?

Can the person who is an alcoholic or drug addict change?

Can the person who is described as “always late” change their pattern and start to arrive 5 minutes early from now on?

Can the person who judges overweight people or people who are always late, change and stop judging.

12 STEP PROGRAMS

AA and other 12 step programs tackle this question up front and very early on.

The first of the 12 steps is to admit our powerlessness over an addiction whatever the area it is in: food, alcohol, sex, drugs, gambling.

THE KEY PRAYER

The key prayer in 12 step programs is a prayer developed by Reinhold Niebuhr - which you’re all familiar with. It’s called the Serenity Prayer. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

CONCLUSION SELF

If we follow Jesus, we know he  teaches us to start with self. So we have to stop wanting everyone else to change  - and look in the mirror and see ourselves. 

"Physician change yourself!"

Spot those specks and logs in our own eye first!

We need to admit our powerlessness - get help - and in the meanwhile change what we can change in ourselves - one day at a time.