Second lent

Second Sunday in Lent- 2011

I would like to invite you all to celebrate the second Sunday in Lent. And I thank you all for coming today to celebrate the love and kindness of God our Father through Christ our Lord. Today we are so blessed to deepen our faith through prayer, fasting and helping others.

In today’s gospel, we come to know the importance of prayer and its effect. Yes, Jesus our Lord Christ with three of His disciples goes to a mountaintop and there in the presence of His disciples begins to pray to His Father. While He was spending time in prayer, there came a big change in Him. Yes, He transfigured. His face was shinning like the sun and His clothes became dazzling white. He was all radiating spiritual power and energy around Him. Every one who was there began to reflect that light. Jesus Himself became a bright light. The power of prayer was being manifested to all by His transfiguration.

Once a priest noticed a man praying for hours and hours in front of the tabernacle and he went over and asked him, “What are you talking to God?” The man said, I do not talk to God but listen. What does God say to you? Nothing He is just listening to me too.

There are four ways of praying to God.

1. We talk and God listens

2. God talks and we listen

3. God and we talk and we both listen

4. God and we do not talk and God and we do not listen… silence.

Today I am going to present to you the three “D” of the apostles and the fourth “D” of the Lord Jesus.

Distraction:

After spending time in prayer, Jesus began to transfigure. And the apostles who did not expect the change in Christ began to be distracted. They were confused and were afraid. Because of their distraction, they began to say different things to Jesus. And the presence of Moses and Elijah were adding more to their distress and distraction and Simon Peter came forward and said to Jesus with courage, “Jesus… It is very good to be here. Let us make three shelters here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah”.

Distance:

After their distraction, there came a distance in them. They could not recognize the presence of Christ and His power. Though Jesus taught them how to pray and connect themselves with God. They struggled to recognize and know Christ. They slowly began to distant themselves.

Once there lived woman who never missed daily Mass. She went to church every day and even retuning from the church, she uttered prayers and said rosaries, and thus she did not bother with people who asked her help. When beggars were asking her for money, all she said was, “I am praying do not bother me” one day when she went to church, she realized that the door was locked. She was all worried thinking that she was going to miss the celebration. She tried to push and push, nothing happened. Then she looked up, there she saw a note saying, and “I am out there among the poor and the needy”.

Difficulty:

Then comes the difficulty. Because of their distraction and distance, they experienced difficulty. They were so afraid and were not saying anything to Christ our Lord who invited them to know the power of prayer and its effect namely transfiguration.

Though Christ was with them, they were afraid. And the Lord said, “get up and do not be afraid”.

Once after March break, a teacher looked at her students and only one looked so said and afraid and thoughtful. She asked him, “what bothers you and why are you worried and afraid? He said my parents. My dad is a great man. He has a good job and makes lots of money. He does everything for me. He took me to Disneyland and Caribbean Island for March break and my mom is good too. She cooks and cleans for me and she is good to me. Then why are you afraid, “I am worried that they might try to escape”.

While Jesus was with them, the disciples were afraid. But Jesus encouraged them saying, ‘do not be afraid”

The fourth “D” from Jesus:

The fourth D is called divinity. Since the disciples were distracted, distant and were in difficulty, the voice came from heaven saying, “This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him”.

Once a little fish Nemo seeing a big fish said, “excuse me. You are bigger than I and you have more experience. Please tell me where the ocean is?’ the big fish looking at the little fish Nemo said, “Ocean is the thing you are in now” Nemo said, “but this is water. What I am look for is the Ocean”.

Conclusion:

When we are away from distraction, distance and difficulty, we will find divinity the ocean in Jesus the Lord. Let us spend time in prayer and recognize the ocean where we are in now. Amen.