May 01, 2022; Third Sunday of Easter (Year C)

Readings: Acts 5:27-32; Rv. 5:11-14; Jn. 21:1-19

 

The Lord Always Provides

1.      I am convinced that Christ rose from the dead. The Catechism states: "Christ's resurrection is the fulfillment of the promises, both of the Old Testament and of Jesus Himself during his earthly life. The resurrection of the crucified one shows that He is truly 'I Am,' the Son of God and God Himself. Christ's resurrection is closely linked to the Incarnation of God's Son and is its fulfillment in accordance with God's eternal plan." (CCC nos. 652, 653). St. Paul said it better, "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty, too, your faith"(1Cor 15:13-14). On that first Easter Sunday, Peter and his companions experienced the risen Christ as they never expected, which changed their lives. The spirit of the risen Lord emboldened Peter to stand up to the Sanhedrin and accuse them of being responsible for Christ's death. "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God had given to those who obey Him." (First reading). A few days ago, this same Peter could not stand up to a young girl and admit that he knew Jesus.

 

2.      Peter was a fascinating person, in my opinion, which endeared him to Jesus – the crass humanity of Peter. And this also makes the person of Peter appealing to us too. We can identify quickly with him. Peter was impetuous! Now he confessed the divinity of Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Mt. 16:16); soon after, he tried to prevent Jesus from accepting the will of His father, to which he was reprimanded by Christ to "get behind me Satan." Yet, there was an undeniable friendship between Jesus and Peter. Their friendship was so strong that just a look from Jesus communicated to Peter that he had betrayed that friendship and hurt their relationship. According to William J. Bausch in 'Story Telling the Word, "The scene of two men in a silent confrontation in the palace courtyard tells us the real meaning of Christianity. When you come right down to it, it is a living relationship with a living Person. It is always and forever the relationship of redeemed human beings with the person of Jesus Christ in faith, trust, forgiveness, and love – in all the ways that one person is bound to another."

 

3.      In today's Gospel, Peter returns to his trade: fishing. By saying "I am going fishing," could mean that he was returning to the profession he was good at, or he was simply bored and needed to distract himself from the thought of having betrayed his friend and the constant reminder of the look of Jesus. If he was not adept at fishing, how would he be a fisher of men! Unfortunately, Peter, in my opinion, was not very good at fishing either. His first encounter with Jesus was when he was at his duty post trying to catch fish. To the request of Jesus to "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch," his answer was, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command, I will lower the nets." (Lk. 5:5). Their second encounter was when Jesus met Peter and his companions during the fishing expedition and enquired: "Children, have you caught anything yet?" "No." He said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat, and you will find something." (Jn. 21:3-6). When they caught so many fish, John exclaimed: "It is the Lord." How could they, who did not catch anything throughout the night, be so lucky just because a stranger had told them to cast the nets on the other side of the boat? John recalled their last encounter with Jesus when they had worked all night long and caught nothing and how Christ had told them what to do before they had their boats filled with fish. It had to be the Lord. Christ showed Peter and his companions that they could do nothing apart from him. He (Christ) was better at Peter's trade than Peter; hence he should learn another business with the help of the master himself. Many times, we think we know it all. We often keep God out of our lives. But Christ tells us, "Apart from me, you can do nothing." God provides us with the strength, energy, and wisdom to do all that we do and succeed in them.

 

4.      Whenever we run away from God, he comes in search of us. "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain." (Jn. 15:16). Unworthy as we are, God chose us as he did the prophets of old and the Apostles. When we sin, he waits for us to turn back to Him confessing our sins and he is always willing to forgive us. He shows us the father's love in the Story of the prodigal son (Lk 15). He demonstrates his forgiveness in the Story of the woman caught committing adultery (Jn. 8). He reached out to Peter at the sea of Tiberias; caring, cooking a meal for his friends, providing fish for their upkeep; he gave them encouragement and hope and offered them forgiveness and love. He does the same for us. Yes, it is the Lord; he is the only one who appears when all hope is gone, he refreshes us when water is dried up, and the rain refuses to fall. The Lord brings healing and strength to our failing bodies and restores us to wholeness when we are sick. 

 

5.      Jesus knew Peter more than Peter knew himself. He knew Peter loved him, but he wanted Peter to say so himself. After all, he had told Peter, "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers." (Lk. 22:31-32). Christ knew that Satan had his eye on Peter. He knew that Peter would deny him at the moment of weakness; therefore, Christ was back to make it right. And so, he asked him three times, ‘do you love me.’ “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Peter was right! Christ knew everything; he knew Peter loved him.

 

6.      So, we pray that we may not forget that the Lord always stands at our shores, loving, instructing, watching, and looking out for us. He has a meal prepared for us. May we not forget our relationship with him when tempted to run away from the Lord. May we have the courage to say with Peter, Lord, you know everything, you know we love you. Please pray for us as you prayed for Peter that our faith might not fail, strengthen us at the moment of our weakness so that we may not betray you. Help us to see the look of love in your eyes so that we may weep for our sins and turn back to you. Amen. 

   

                                             Augustine Etemma Inwang MSP

April 17, 2022; Easter Sunday (Year C)

Readings: Acts 10:44, 37-43; Col. 3:1-4; Lk. 24:1-12

 

Christ’s Resurrection is Our Life

1.      On this day of the resurrection, we recall the words of Jesus: “That he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” (Mt.16:21). It was strange to the apostles then, but now they believe him. Christ has indeed risen. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that: “To be a witness of Christ is to be a “witness to his Resurrection,” to “have eaten and drunk with him after he rose from the dead.” Encounters with the risen Christ characterize the Christian hope of resurrection. We shall rise like Christ, with him, and through him.”(CCC. 995). God will raise our mortal bodies and make them like his own in glory when we die. 

 

2.      The resurrection of Christ demonstrates that we are Easter people living in a Good Friday world. The activity of Good Friday is still very much with us. We are broken and weak, short-tempered, stubborn, and angry; we backbite and betray our friends. The resurrection of Christ assures us that God loves us and that Christ has conquered our weaknesses and death. Yes, to every Good Friday, there is Easter Sunday. To every failure, there is strength in the risen Lord. Every hurt and wrongdoing we forgive is proof of the resurrection. We attest to our faith in the risen Lord when we give to charity or console the bereaved, show compassion and mercy, visit the sick, be kind to the downtrodden. We may be weak, but our risen Lord is strong. We are Easter people and so must sing alleluia to God. According to St. Paul, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1). Because He lives, we can see him tomorrow! “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him to bring all things into subjection to himself.” (Philippians 3:21). The resurrection changed the apostles; it can also change us if we believe in Christ. The resurrection of Christ is an invitation for us to share in his life. Let us rejoice that Christ is risen. Amen

 

                                    Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

April 10, 2022; Palm Sunday (Year C)

Readings: Is. 50:4-7; Phil. 2:6-11; Lk. 22:14-23:56

 

Holy Week at A Glance

1.      Today is Palm Sunday. Let us look at Holy Week at a glance and all the activities that go with it before the resurrection of Christ. Palm Sunday was a joyful and triumphant day as well as a disturbing and tumultuous one for Christ. On this day Jesus was given a red-carpet reception as he entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Palm branches were used to welcome royalties in the olden days, even today in some cultures. “The palm branch symbolizes victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life originating in the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean world. So, Christ was received as a victorious king in Jerusalem with fanfare. He did not ride on a horse, a prestigious symbol of war but on a donkey, indicative of peace and humility, the trademark of the king of peace. It was not just any donkey, but one on which no one had ever sat, the prerogative of a king. Seeing Him on the donkey, the Jews surging around Him recalled the words of the Prophet Zechariah 500 years earlier: “Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: your king is coming to you; a just savior is he, Humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem.” (Zec. 9:9-10). Pope Benedict XVI explained these Old Testament words as they relate to Jesus: “He is a king who destroys the weapons of war, a king of peace and a king of simplicity, a king of the poor.… Jesus is not building on violence; he is not instigating a military revolt against Rome” (‘Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week,’ Ignatius Press, 2011, pp. 81-82). People came out to receive king Jesus crying Hosanna to the Son of David. 

 

2.      The passion narrative demonstrates people playing different roles in their relationship with Jesus. Judas Iscariot betrayed him; Peter denied him while the other apostles ran away. Many in the crowd said different things about Jesus. Many other reactions and vituperations trailed him on the road to Calvary. False witnesses rose up against him, the scribes and the Pharisees called for his head. Pilate did not just condemn him to painful torture and death on the Cross, he humiliated him first by having him flogged. Women cried for him, and some men despised him. Soldiers ridiculed him, and bystanders mocked him. Holy Week was a painful one for Jesus, who suffered for our sake. Palm branches are thrown away, and Hosanna to the Son of David is replaced with “away with him, crucify him.” Yet Jesus rode to Jerusalem with love in his heart and prayer for forgiveness on his lips for his torturers. No wonder St. Paul reminded us: “For our sake he (God) made him to be sin who did not know sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (2Cor. 5:21). Yes, “He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (second reading). “Greater love than this no man has,” he tells us, “That a man should lay down his life for his friends.”(Jn. 15:13). But even within that hostile crowd, there were many acts of kindness shown to Jesus. Simon assisted Christ to carry the Cross. Veronica wiped his face. Women of Jerusalem wept for him. One of the soldiers offered him wine, albeit vinegar, when he was thirsty. His mother and other women were there at the foot of the Cross; Joseph of Arimathea offered his new tomb for his burial. What would you have done for him if you were there? You can still do it for him even now. For “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt. 25:40) Which character best describes you and your relationship with Jesus? Are you with Jesus or against him?        

 

3.      After the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Christ gathered his apostles for a parting meal, the first Eucharist, and the institution of the sacred priesthood. This was a demonstration of brotherly love and the giving of a new commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you.” (Jn. 13:13) The celebration takes place on Holy Thursday at the Mass of the last supper. On Good Friday we venerate the Cross of our salvation. Jesus tells us “When I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw everyone to myself.” (Jn. 12:32) “O Cross of Christ, immortal tree, on which our Savior died, the world is sheltered by your arms that bore the Crucified.”(Lenten Hymn). On Holy Saturday, we wait at the tomb of Jesus in anticipation of Easter Sunday when we will celebrate the resurrection of Christ. “O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!” (Exultet). Are we ready to reciprocate Christ’s love by committing ourselves to this week of grace? Let us be grateful to Christ for his love. As we celebrate Palm Sunday today, may we look forward with joy to celebrating Christ’s resurrection and our freedom from sin and death. Amen!

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

April 03, 2022; 5th Sunday of Lent (Year C)

Readings: Is. 43:16-12; Phil. 3:8-14; Jn. 8:1-11

 

Go and Sin No More!

1.      Once again, there is a confrontation between Jesus and the scribes and the Pharisees. The self-righteous, law-abiding, faultfinding, know-it-all, holier-than-thou, pious, hypocritical, and moralizing scribes, and the Pharisees! In today’s Gospel, the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught committing adultery, with stones in their hands, to Jesus, demanding permission to kill her. Incidentally, we heard nothing of her accomplice; they could only capture the woman. She broke the law and so must pay for it with her life. Jesus, who always taught his disciples to forgive all hurts and show mercy, even to sinners, is caught in the middle of two polarities, the righteous bigots, and a poor sinner. Was he to go against his teaching on mercy, compassion, and forgiveness or side with the law and have the woman put to death? Siding with the law will deny the woman the opportunity to repent of her sins. But since God is a God of a second chance, Jesus is always on the side of the oppressed, the poor, disenfranchised, sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, the forgotten, the voiceless, the hopeless, and the nobodies. He reminded us: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Lk. 5:32). Again, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (Jn. 10:10). Jesus came for the last, the least, and the lost. His middle name is Mercy, and his mission is to preach compassion and forgiveness.

 

2.      We become a new creation each time we can forgive people. “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Is. 43:119). God brought the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through the desert, making them walk through water dry-shod into the promised land. He saved them because he loved them. He was never tired of forgiving them. “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.” (Jer. 29:11).  

 

3.      Paul knew of God’s immeasurable love for him, and so he considered everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus (second reading). Having been forgiven, Paul began to preach reconciliation. We are forgiven for serving! The sinful woman who was forgiven in the Gospel offered her life in service to God. She was a disciple of Jesus from that day even to the grave of Christ. No wonder she was the first to see Jesus after his resurrection. When we are forgiven, we are liberated and sent on a mission, as ambassadors of forgiveness. This is something new indeed! God has made something new of us; can we perceive it?   

 

4.      Today’s liturgy is an encouragement to us, to approach the throne of grace and seek forgiveness for our sins. We must be humble and go to confession so as to be part of the new thing that God is doing. Yes! Jesus gave the men standing with their stones permission to kill the woman only if they had no sins. Was any of them worthy of casting the first stone? Not one! Why? Because they were sinners, just like her. Do you think you have no sins? If you consider yourself a sinner, why don’t you go to confession? When did you go to confession last? If you went two, five, or seven years ago, Jesus invites you to: “Come back to me with all your heart, don’t let fear keep (you) us apart; Trees do bend though straight and tall; So, must we to others’ call. Long have I waited for your coming home to me and living deeply our new lives.”(Song by John Michael Talbot). Come, taste, and see the goodness of the Lord. Come to Christ and drink deeply from the abundance of his love and mercy. His love conquers all your sins. His forgiveness will turn your selfishness to selflessness, your unforgiving heart to a humble and forgiving heart, and your pride to humility. He will give you the joy of the Gospel and make it possible for you to perceive the new thing he is doing in your life. What are you waiting for? Come, he is waiting!

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

March 27, 2022; 4th Sunday of Lent (Year C)

Readings: Joshua 5:9, 10-12; 2Cor. 5:17-21; Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

 

The Lost and Found Son

1.         In the second reading, St. Paul writes: "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So, we are ambassadors for Christ." An ambassador is "An accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country." St. Paul again reminds us that "Our homeland is in heaven, where our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, is; and we are looking forward to his return from there." (Phil. 3:20). We are representatives of our homeland on a mission to represent God as ambassadors. As we live and interact with our fellow pilgrims, we often wander away from the statutes and ordinances of our homeland. We must return to the right path. We do this through reconciliation. We will enjoy the goodness of the Lord (the Psalm) if we live a reconciled life. When we live a life of reconciliation and forgiveness, God removes the reproach and shame of our life, as he did with the children of Israel when they returned from Egypt (First Reading) and restored them to their lost dignity.

 

2.      Today's Gospel celebrates reconciliation in the story of the merciful father's restoration of the prodigal's son's lost identity and destiny. The son may have squandered his inheritance but not his heritage. The father chose to offer him unconditional love and forgiveness. He was not interested in his sin but in his reunification. When the son came to his senses, he made a choice, changed his mind, and returned to his father. To come to our senses means acknowledging our faults, accepting our mistakes, and resolving to change. The father was waiting for his son's return because his love was unconditional. He harbored no grudge and anger towards his son. He did not condemn him but had only love for him. Jesus tells us to be like the merciful father. "Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt. 5:48) 

 

3.      Forgiveness is a choice made after long hours of prayer and soul searching. It is a choice against anger, hurt, pride, doubt, bitterness, cynicism, apathy, suspicion, self-righteousness, harboring a grudge, and irrational need for revenge and settling scores. It is a choice to let go and let God, an option for liberation and freedom. There can be no true forgiveness without prayer. Like the prodigal son, we have wandered away from God's love and mercy. We have chosen ourselves to God. One way to show our reconciliation with God, the Church, and others is through the sacrament of reconciliation. "The confession (or disclosure) of sins, even from a simply human point of view, frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others. Through such an admission, man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible." (CCC 1455). During Lent, we are encouraged to go to confession, do penance and return to God and his Church. Confession is heard here in the Church any time on request.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

4.      Many of us have left the father's house after demanding our shared inheritance. Some came for baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, or wedding. As soon as they got what they wanted, they left, like the prodigal son, and stopped coming to Church. Some may only come back when they have difficulties, like the saying, "grass is greener on the other side of the mountain till you get there." We must always change our minds and go back to the merciful father. For he is full of mercy and compassion. 

 

5.      We are sometimes like the righteous brother who would not forgive his brother but resented the father for doing so. He was envious of his brother and failed to understand that the father's love is not earned; it is pure grace? Like him, we notice the splinter in our brother's eye but do not perceive the wooden beam in our own. (Lk. 6:41). And so, we volunteer to confess the sins of others. We are typical faithful Catholics who are doubtful and fearful of God. We are insecure about ourselves and often question our trust in God. We fear God's punishment more than we trust in his love. We have no experience of what others are going through, so we judge and label them as sinners. We are afraid that we may be found out ourselves and our sins exposed. We often allow the hidden sins of jealousy, pride, and self-centeredness to rule our day and ruin our lives. We, too, must change our minds and embrace God's love. Will the brother ever forgive his brother like his father, come in and join in celebrating his brother's return? Maybe our attitude towards those we perceive as enemies and our unwillingness to forgive them will give us an indication of the mindset of the righteous brother. Today's liturgy exhorts us to be like the merciful father. Be slow to judge but quick to forgive. To Err is human but to forgive is divine. It is better to be lost and found than not to have been lost but be bitter. Amen!

 

                                    Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

March 20, 2022; 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year C)

Readings: Ex. 3:1-8; 1Cor. 10:1-6; Lk 13:1-9

 

Repent or Perish

1.      There is a story told about a man named Bill. He was a prominent contractor. In time, the pressure of his business caused him to turn to alcohol. Before long, he separated from his family, and his business went bankrupt. One day Bill was walking down the street. He happened to look down. There, on the sidewalk, was a bent rusty nail. Bill thought to himself, that nail is a perfect picture of me. I'm rusty and bent out of shape too. I'm good for nothing but to be thrown away, just as that nail is. Bill stooped down, picked up the nail, and put it in his pocket. When he got home, he took a hammer and began to pound it straight. Then he took some sandpaper and removed the rust from it. Next, Bill placed the nail alongside a new one. He could hardly tell the difference between the two.

 

2.      A thought flashed through Bill's mind. His life could be straightened out and sanded clean again just as the nail was. But it wouldn't be easy! Could he take the hard blows and sanding? He decided to try. Today Bill is reunited with his family, and he is back in the construction business. He owes everything to that old rusty, bent nail that he found on the sidewalk at just the right time in his life. To this day, he keeps the restored nail in his wallet. (From Sunday Homilies by Mark Link, SJ). Today's liturgy reminds us that our God is a God who gives a second chance to his children. In the revelation of his name to Moses, he assured the children of Israel that He is God of the living; he is always present and accessible to his people. He is "The Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity" (Ex. 34:5-7). In the first reading, God revealed his name as 'Yahweh,' translated as I am who am, "This is my name forever, thus am I to be remembered through all generations." According to the Psalmist "The Lord is kind and merciful." God, the great I am, is a merciful God. He loves us so much that he doesn't judge us as we deserve but gives us a second chance when we mess up to come back to our senses and return to him.

 

3.      Jesus encourages us in the gospel to make use of the many opportunities God has given us to change our minds. Those who died in tragic circumstances were not worse sinners. Their death should help us repent and believe the gospel. That was what we promised on the day of Baptism: to reject Satan and all his works and to believe in God. Through the natural and political disasters of His time, Jesus illustrates the fragility of life and calls for a life of repentance. He uses the gardener to highlight God's patience and offers us precious opportunities to be saved. "Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down." (Lk. 13:8). The call to repentance is not merely for us to turn away from our sinful ways but also to produce the fruits of good living and be holy. God's mercy is infinite, but we are finite beings. We do not have eternity to change our minds. "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts." (Ps. 95:7-11). If we don't bear fruit, listen to what may happen: "For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but found none So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?" (Lk. 13:7). The unproductive fig tree was exhausting the soil and depriving productive trees of nourishment. It should be cut down so that others may be enriched as they were nourishing the people's lives. If we are not nurturing the lives of others, we are draining them. If we are not adding, we are taking from them. We must decide whether to be givers or takers.

 

4.      Repentance means a change of heart, a change of attitude, and a change of mind. We can change our minds in both small and big things. We can change from being inactive to being active, from not praying to pray, from being uncharitable to being charitable, from being sinful to sinless, from being unmerciful to merciful, from not attending Mass regularly to finding a reason to always come to Mass; from not bringing your children and grandchildren to church to making sure they are here with you. Lent is not only about receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday and Palms on Palm Sunday. It is not only about fasting and abstaining from meat and eating fish on Friday. It is all that and more. It gives us a golden opportunity to change our minds. 

 

5.      At one point in our lives, we were like the fig tree. We were in danger of being ejected and rejected as useless. But God's mercy, the Great 'I am' took pity on us and gave us a second chance. Like Bill, we must be grateful to God for our second chance. Let us receive God's mercy and stop complaining about the misfortunes of our lives, for Christ made it clear that accidents and sickness are not punishment for sins but a great opportunity to repent and change our minds. As God gives us a second chance, we must also give a second chance to people around us and help them grow in love, hope, and trust. May we see the bigger picture of God's plan in our lives and worship him in spirit and truth! Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

March 13, 2022; 2nd Sunday of Lent (Year C)

Readings: Gn. 15:5-12, 17-18; Phil 3:20-4:1; Lk 9:28-36

 

“Lord, It Is Good for Us to Be Here.”

1.      In the first reading, God took the initiative and entered into a covenant with Abram. He put his life on the line and promised to make Abram’s descendants as many as the stars in the sky. Though old, and the fulfillment of the promise was not yet in sight, Abram put his faith in God. He believed that God would be faithful to his promises. In the Gospel, Jesus was transfigured on the mountain during prayer. He, like God, put his life on the line to save his people. His transfiguration is indicative of our new life with God. Just as God promised the children of Israel a land flowing with milk and honey, Jesus, the new Adam, will lead us to a life of everlasting happiness in heaven. At the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah conversed with Jesus about his impending death to save humanity. Through his death and resurrection, our lives will be transformed. Our pain will give way to joy, death to life, and Christ will reign in us forever. 

 

2.      But we must first do what Christ did. His transfiguration was only possible after prayer. To pray is to change, and to change more and be transfigured is to have prayed much. We pray by lifting our minds and hearts to God, praising, and adoring Him always. At prayer, we ask for God’s mercy and love and forgiveness for our sins. We pray because we want to be in communion with God. If we do not communicate with God, we would be “running well but off the road.” It is only during prayer that God enters into a covenant of love with us, changes our appearances, and clothes us in a dazzling white garment. It prepares us to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.

 

3.      We listen to Jesus when we pray. “Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” God, the father, invites us to listen to Jesus. And this is what he wants us to do: “You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8). Jesus asks us to forgive injuries done to us, love our enemies, and do good to those who hate us. He wants us to give to everyone who asks of us and calls on us to do to others as we would have them do to us. Christ urges us to stop judging and condemning others. He wants us to share what we have with others and treat everyone unconditionally as God treats us. (Lk. 6:27-42) We can only do these if we pray. Prayer brings us to the presence of God and effects a change in our lives. When we sit in prayer, God changes our appearances and our relationships. He makes it possible to forgive hurts done to us. It provokes holy thoughts and enables us to say with Peter, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” The ‘here’ Peter longed for is to be at home with God. Jesus will change and transform our lives and make them like his in glory. May it be so now and always! Amen.

 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP