Changed

Changed

February 24, 2013

Second Sunday of Lent 2013 C

By Rev. Joe McCloskey, SJ

When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces.  It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”  Genesis 15:17-18

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.  Philippians 3:20-21

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.  While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.  Luke 9:28B-29

Piety

Our true visions of life have their beginnings in the cross of Christ.  Our life’s purpose and our destiny are motivated by the resurrection whether consciously or unconsciously.  There being no bypass of the cross in discipleship makes  the vision we possess of the death and resurrection of Christ a driving force when we decide to follow Christ.  Our piety is a factor of belonging to God through Christ.  Our hearts will never rest until they find the fulfillment that awaits us in Christ as the goal and the purpose of our lives.  God created us that he would have people to love.  God loves us so much that he wants to be one of us.  Piety is our response to God’s so great love.   Piety is all the ways we unite with Christ as the perfect way to be thankful to God for our own creation.  The perfect thanks is Eucharist, the perfection of piety. 

Study

Our study leads us to be imitators of the great saints like Peter and Paul.  They did not resist the cross of Christ.  We realize that our love of worldly things can draw us away from Christ’s cross.  His death on the cross is a scandal and an outrage to weak souls.  Love is the giving of one’s life for the sake of another.  We are called by the example of the great saints to learn how to keep our human passions under control.  The reality of life as gift is seen in the energies of life that can lead us to selfishness or to selflessness.  The Cross gives us a vision to hold unto that leads us to the happiness that can be found in sharing the cross of Christ.  We look at the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ.   A good Lent would make it possible to find joy in the filling up what is wanting to the suffering of Christ.  Because the people of God are the Mystical Body of Christ there is real value to the sufferings we offer up in the name of Christ. 

Action

It is never too late to begin again.  Lent offers us the chance by our restraints on our pleasures of life to put Christ in first place in our interests of life.  Lent can help us to change our lowly bodies into the Christ of the Transfiguration.  Our vision of life is heaven.  Christ comes back with a glorified body that passes through walls and yet is able to eat a good breakfast.  When the Apostles saw the glory of Christ in the Transfiguration, they also heard a voice that told them to listen to Christ as the beloved son of the Father.  Action is how seriously we listen to the voice of Christ in our hearts.  Our Christ life is shown by the deeds we do in his name.  Our actions reveal our faith in Christ.  When we die with Christ, we rise with him.

Brought You the Firstfruits

February 17, 2013

First Sunday of Lent 2013 C

He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; and bringing us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.  Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits of the products of the soil which you, O LORD, have given me.’  And having set them before the Lord, your God, you shall bow down in his presence.”  Deuteronomy 26:8-10

For the Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame.  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him.  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  Romans 10:11-13

When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.  Luke 4:13

Piety

Our piety is seen in the reflection of Christ seen from our prayer, fasting and good works.  We go into the desert of the 40 days with decisions made or needing to be made about what we are going to do for a more complete following of Christ.  In one sense the desert is a time of doing nothing.  Prayer is how we stand before God and let the silence of our heart  and the silence of the place meet where we are and  be broken by what we hear.  Our hunger and fasting can be a prayer when we actually join our hunger to the hunger of Christ.  When we are hungry for the sake of our family, friends and world, we have a  oneness with Christ who is one with the hungry, thirsty, naked, imprisoned or sick.  How extensive our vision of what is wrong with our world determines for what we are offering our prayer and fasting .  The good news of the Father that Christ offers us is seen in the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes and the miracles of healing that he did.  We can do the same by our offerings of prayer, fasting and good works in the name of Christ for the sake of a better world.  Christ ca  work his miracles again through our Lenten practices. 

Study

Our belief is in Christ who by his words helps us to be one with his father.  Christ became human that we might become divine.  We offer our sacrifices and prayer that the love of Christ might not just live in us, but become who we are in the gift we make of ourselves for others.  Lent gives us the chance to create a separation between fleshly concerns and give preeminence to our heavenly pursuits.  Our sacrifices allow us to become the forgiveness of Christ for the world when we offer ourselves In the name of Christ.  Our sinfulness clouds our spiritual sight of our souls.  Our sacrifices of Lent open us up to becoming the touch of Christ to our world.  Amends is one of the dimensions of our Lenten sacrifices.  We make amends not just for ourselves, but for our world. 

Action

Action is how we ask the Lord to be with us in our troubles.  Following the Lord closely allows us to leave the Egypt of our sinfulness and come to the Promised Land of the heavenly Jerusalem.  Lent gives us the opportunity to make our love of Christ real by the closeness of our following him.  God who raised Christ from the dead will raise up those we are offering our sacrifices for.  We know that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  We become by our sacrifices for others the call of the name of the Lord.  We read more scripture during Lent that we might ward off the devil by our scriptures.  Lent makes it possible for us to be a real Christ for each other.  Lent gives us the chance to let the word of God become flesh in who we are.  Christ consecrates us through his sacrifice.  Our Lenten observances do that for others.  Lent teaches us that it is not just what we give up by our sacrifices, but even more so what we do for the sake of others that tune us into the Spirit of Christ.  Action speaks louder than words.  Our sacrifices are the voice of Christ loud and clear in our lives for the sake of our world.  We are Christ’s voice by our Lent.  Prayer, fasting and good works change our world for Christ.