17th February 2008 - SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT 2008
When we are choosing who our best friends are going to be we are on the look out for those who will be with us in good times and in bad, people who will share our joys and sorrows as we journey through life. Jesus was no different in his choice of the twelve; twelve men who may not have appealed to many of us, after all the gospel pages certainly do not share their blushes, one of them betrayed him, another denied him and the rest of them with the exception of Saint John fled as he approached the hill of Calvary.
In the gospel today St Mathew relates that Peter, James and John were with Jesus on the mountain and saw him transfigured. These same people would be present also in the Garden of Gethsemane as the Passion drew near. On the mountain they saw the glory of God shine on the face of Christ, they cowered in fear as they heard the voice of the Father as he attested to his only Son. In the end they were left alone with Jesus who ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen till he had risen from the dead. However even after having been granted such a vision they failed to grasp the identity of the carpenter's Son from Nazareth. Yes they would follow closely in the good days of adulation and awe for the one who called them. But one by one they would flee as Jesus came face to face with the pride of Satan. They could not accept that discipleship was not always going to be easy, and that some days it would be anything but easy.
Today's Scriptures have a lesson to teach us all who are the disciples of the 21st Century. They tell us that being faithful to God and to the Church is not always going to be the easiest of things. There may well be very few mountain top experiences of consolation, and instead we may have to continue walking along the Via Dolorosa especially in relation to the life of the Church. One this is certain though and that is the victory of Christ and the Beatific Vision that will be ours as a reward for our years of faithfulness. Amen.
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Homilies Archive
2009 HOMILIES
25th December 2008
Christmas
21st December 2008
14th December 2008
8th December 2008
Immaculate Conception
7th December 2008
2nd Sunday of Advent
30th November 2008
1st Sunday of Advent
23rd November 2008
Christ the King
16th November 2008
2nd November 2008
All Souls
1st November 2008
All Saints
26th October 2008
12th October 2008
5th October 2008
28th September 2008
21st September 2008
14th September 2008
7th September 2008
31st August 2008
24th August 2008
17th August 2008
15th August 2008
Assumption
10th August 2008
3rd August 2008
20th July 2008
13th July 2008
29th June 2008
22nd June 2008
1st June 2008
23rd March 2008
Easter Sunday
22nd March 2008
Easter Vigil
2nd March 2008
24th February 2008
17th February 2008
10th February 2008
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