Second Sunday of Lent: The Transfiguration

This week the Gospel is taken from that of St. Luke (Chap9:28-36) which is known as the Transfiguration. Jesus takes Peter, John and James to pray on the mountain. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appear and Jesus is changed into "dazzling white" garments. The apostles are shaken, but Peter, coming out of his stupor is ready with a plan. Peter always has a plan. His plan, not always God's plan. So God interrupts Peter and says "LISTEN -- Listen to my son".

This is what I need to do more of -- listening! Being quiet (this is the hard part) and letting God tell me what he wants of me....being quiet and "hearing" God's plan ... this is hard, but I'm really trying this Lent to shut up and listen more.....

First Full Week of Lent

Sunday's Gospel reading (Luke 4:1-13) talks about Jesus' time in the desert - 40 days of fasting and prayer, 40 days of mostly being tempted by Satan to alter God's plan, 40 days of being very human. Why? For us; to save us from our sins...

How cool is that?

And what does God ask in return? For us to spend 40 days fasting and praying and sacrificing; 40 days of ignoring the lure of the secular world; 40 days of trying to die to ourselves.

Don't get me wrong -- it's hard to fast, it's hard to sacrifice, it's hard to give up the things I WANT. But, in the long run, it makes me a better person, a better mom and wife, and it brings me a step closer to living the life God wants me to live. And we GET TO DO THIS every year. We get a "new lease on life" each Lenten season.

How cool is that?