After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Matthew 17:1-9 (NABRE)

It is interesting that Jesus commands silence regarding the Transfiguration until after His Resurrection. However, knowing what we do know, this episode makes much more sense with that kind of contextualization.

Much happens in a short period of time. Jesus converses with Moses and Elijah, and the Father speaks for the first time since the Baptism of His Son. Jesus reveals to Peter, James, and John the glory that is to come, but we may be left with the question of why it was necessary to give a preview anyway.

These revelations are not anything that God needs for Himself. He is not dependent on anyone and, unlike fallen human beings, does not have to have an ego requiring fame and flattery as fuel. All that He does for us is purely for us, and in so doing He glorifies Himself, not out of any sort of deprivation, but because it is who He is, a glorious God.

This preview of the glory yet to come is not shown because Jesus wants to put on an unnecessary, self-centered display of power. Had He desired to do so, would He not have gathered a larger crowd than just three disciples situated on an isolated mountaintop? On the contrary, this preview is for us. As humans, we need reminders, for our memories are finite and often beset by frailties. We have the Bible and hear, week after week, readings at Mass that remind us of God’s steadfast love that has endured throughout salvation history and will continue to do so for an eternity.

So Jesus lets his disciples know that the hardships He will endure in His Passion will not be pointless. Peter, James, and John must have known of the stories of Moses and Elijah, who each experienced tremendous hardship in their lives but were eventually saved by God. Perhaps, as they grieved after Good Friday, the disciples recalled this episode and were strengthened by the hope that Jesus will return in glory.

Thank you for reading. Peace.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’

“Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'”

Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan!” It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone you shall serve.'” Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.”

Matthew 4:1-11 (NABRE)

Temptations, temptations.

In this passage, we see a glimpse of what it means to live the Christian life. The devil’s temptations attempt to persuade Jesus to submit to evil and become weakened in His mission to redeem humanity. Serving two masters is impossible, and Jesus, had He sinned, would have been caught where the rest of fallen humanity is now, under the persuasion of the evil one. Thankfully, Jesus never sinned.

Temptations abound and are a constant presence in our lives, but nonetheless, Jesus shows us that resisting them is possible, even if they seem quite alluring. It is worth noting, though, that after resisting the devil, Jesus is left alone by him. As Scripture says, “resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

More importantly, when you resist the devil, you always have the same Jesus who defeated him by your side.

Thank you for reading. Peace.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on [your] right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For it you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Matthew 5:38-48 (NABRE)

Jesus’ words overturned millennia of Middle Eastern thought on love and retribution.

To love an enemy seems wrong on the surface. It pushes back against every instinct we have to want malevolence and misfortune to befall those who hate us and do us wrong. We might even say that Jesus is asking us to go too far or to do something that is beyond our power to do. Yet that is the point: it is beyond our power to love our enemies, but with God, as we know, nothing is impossible.

To love another simply means to want what is best for them. We may not like a particular person, but we must love them. God extends his love and provision to all, causing sunlight and rain to benefit the good and the bad alike. Imagine, though, if God loved selectively. It would be a truly horrifying thing to be among those who God would not love in that (thankfully) made-up scenario. But just as God loves universally, so must we. To wish the good of another is such a general guideline for our relationships, but practically applied, we can see why at least desiring that others experience good is such an important exercise.

Part of this means wanting others to change for the better in their belief and conduct, and this is central to the desire of a missionary. If we don’t love our enemies, then we discount ourselves from being the instruments God wants to use in order to bring about their conversion and ultimately their everlasting salvation. The Church, as inherently missionary as she is, cannot accomplish her important work of evangelization if her members have closed themselves off from reaching out and wanting the better of those who reject the Lord. This is especially so for those who genuinely hate us.

It is also worth remembering that Jesus practiced exactly what He preached here in loving even those who crucified Him and treated Him so maliciously.

Thank you for reading. Peace.

“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”

Matthew 5 (NABRE)

It sounds so simple, but when we try to live it, we feel its profundity.

Jesus starts his elaboration on ancient Jewish commandments by setting a rubric for righteousness for his followers. He tells us that we must strive to be better than the scribes and Pharisees, the main antagonists that Jesus encounters during His public ministry. Elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus teaches us not to be entirely like them (i.e. Luke 12:1). Central to His criticism of them is their hypocrisy, a tendency to say one thing and then do another, or to lead a double life. Elsewhere in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus draws our attention away from myopic focus on external forms of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving and towards the cultivation of the proper internal dispositions when doing so.

That said, there are both secret and public elements to faithfully living the Catholic life. In secret, we pray to God and expose to His care and light our wounds, anxieties, and joys; in public, we go Mass and Adoration and kneel and pray with everyone else. There is an individual commitment to follow Jesus wherever He goes and a communal trek along the Church’s pilgrimage route to Heaven. We cannot “act” holy solely in the public aspects of our Catholic observance. It is easy to kneel and look like we are “praying hard” during Mass or having a profound emotional experience during Adoration. We do this when we are seeking attention from others and a dose of misplaced affirmation. This won’t do it.

Our relationship with Jesus must plunge beneath the surface of the show we like to put on when we are in the company of other members of the faithful. This life is too burdensome without the grace of knowing Jesus’ mercy and tenderness. We are so inclined to wound ourselves in sin and be driven about by the chaotic winds of our fallen humanity, and these are the ingredients with which misery is made. A life of simply being with Jesus and allowing Him to work His mercy within us and guide us on a stable path is what makes for true happiness and entry into Heaven.

Perhaps we can all remember the deeper reality to which that all the devotions we do as Catholics point to.

Because it points to what we need the most.

Thank you for reading. Peace.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Matthew 5:13-16 (NABRE)

So much is said in so few words.

Jesus engages two essential aspects of daily life in this passage: salt and light. These are things that are basic and available to all. They among the fundamentals of what we keep and use. Through this rather mundane imagery, the Lord makes a point about the necessity of living out one’s faith. But there are not just self-centered considerations at play. Sure, living out one’s faith is crucial for his or her personal salvation, but it is also of great value in ensuring that this world knows that love exists and can make a positive, lasting impact on their lives.

Just as light is essential for sight and salt for flavoring, so too is our willingness to follow the Lord’s command to have an active faith is essential for a functioning world. Imagine the disorder and misery of a world completely blind to the love of God? There would be no genuine motivation for hope and perseverance in such a dark and inhospitable place. Everyone, whether they realize it or not, needs to both see and experience the life-giving power of the Christian witness. Things like sacrifice, kindness, gentleness, and humility can have a profound impact on others. Whenever we act in such a way, we are like beams of light and show others that there is more to life than the coldness that they have experienced from other people.

Love is practical. It is measured in the choices that we make. A mere “I love you” is utterly void of meaning unless it is proven through concrete action. Here, Jesus calls us to be as practical and salt and light. It is so basic that anyone can do it, but it is also too basic to be neglected.

Thank you for reading. Peace.

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

Luke 2:22-32 (NABRE)

Jesus follows His own law.

It is astonishing to think that the Lord God would be so small and subject Himself to the command of the law that He Himself dictated. Obedience is emphasized, almost absurdly so in this case.

Surrounding the Child Jesus are people exhibiting obedience in their own way. Joseph, Mary, Simeon, and the Temple functionaries all carry out what they have been called to do, and in so doing, they have enabled the continuation of the mission of the Messiah. Joseph provides for his family’s needs; Mary gives Jesus the vital sustenance of a mother’s care; Simeon reminds Joseph, Mary, and all of us of the salvific mission of the Child; and those who labor in the priestly ministry of the Temple advance Jesus’ initiation into the Jewish faith. Everyone is doing their part, and every part is crucial to the faith that we have today.

We can never underestimate the value of our calling. God has deliberately placed each of us in the time and place in which we find themselves for a very important mission. We will not know in this life the impact that we will have had on those around us, from those who we know to those who we have never even met. The narrative of history, overseen and prepared by the Divine Wisdom, is a chain that depends on every link in order to have its full integrity. Every piece is important, and the role you occupy is especially so. Your life will never be replaced. We are all counting on you, and God is with you through it all. Trust in Him!

Thank you for reading. Peace.

When he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has risen.” From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:12-17 (NABRE)

Jesus doesn’t just visit this land of darkness; He lives in it.

How many times do we think that Jesus has not the slightest concern for our needs and desires? Even more, how often do we believe the lie that Jesus is repulsed by us and wants nothing to do with us? This is how we broken humans often interact with each other, staying away from those we perceive as not worthy of our time and regarding as trifling the concerns that may preoccupy those around us. We both do this and have this done to us, and it is easy to project this experience onto God. Our judgment is clouded, and we stay mired in sin while seeing our God not as Savior but as Scorner.

If this is what God was really like, then Jesus would have stayed among the chief priests and the scribes in the Jerusalem Temple, worshiping day and night and only involving Himself with those who have no need of a cure. But do doctors only visit the healthy? Do EMTs only respond to those who are not in an emergency situation? This sounds ridiculous, of course, but why do we then pretend that God, who we call Savior, does not want to rescue us sinners who are so much in need to salvation?

Jesus went to live in territory shared by Jew and Gentile alike. Galilee was a northern province of Roman Palestine that bordered heavily Gentile territory such as Tyre and Sidon. As it is described in this passage, Jesus went directly to where there was much darkness and made is residence there. In a similar way, Jesus wants us to welcome Him into our hearts, where there can be so much darkness, and make His dwelling there. For all of our shortcomings, we are still meant for God to be in us and work through us.

Thank you for reading. Peace.

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

John 1:29-34 (NABRE)

Both John the Baptist and Pontius Pilate say something similar in the Gospel of John.

In John 19, after Jesus has been crowned with thorns, clothed in a purple robe, and led back outside, Pilate announces to the crowd, “Behold, the man!” At the scene of his sentencing, Jesus is one step closer to fulfilling His sacrifice on the Cross, where He will be slaughtered as a sacrificial lamb for the expiation of the sin of humankind.

And to think that this sacrificial victim is God Himself. As I emphasize routinely, God demonstrates for us profound humility, totally contrary to what we would expect. God lowers Himself, in the Person of Jesus Christ, to become a curse for our sin. Jesus walked among us and was fully human while never losing His divinity. We have a God who takes great interest in our lives. He is incredibly close to us, just as He was when He walked this earth so many years ago.

When He was nailed to the Cross, Jesus did so to take away the sin of the world, which also included the sin of you and me. It was a personal event, and the Lord had you in mind just as much as He had the many. We have no need to keep our sins hidden from Jesus. He already knows them, but even more, He desires to take them away, just as John announced. He wants them to be out of sight and mind for you, evaporated like a drop of water in a roaring fire. Sometimes, we might fear that God wants to take something away from us when we enter into a committed relationship with Him. And yes, that’s true. He does want to take something away from you. And that “something” is, as you guessed it, your sin.

Do not be afraid to present your sin to Jesus. It is what He desires for you to do.

Thank you for reading. Peace.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it for now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:13-17 (NABRE)

Think of it — God gets baptized.

We read here that John is surprised, much like any of us would be, to see Jesus asking for baptism. The mere fact that the Lord asks John for this demonstrates to us the profound respect that God has for us. Jesus waits for John to “allow” the baptism. He poses a request, and John is free to decide. God does not manipulate or cajole. He only gives us a choice and lets us choose. We have no fear of abuse from God, for He has endowed us with a free will that He does not break or bend in order to satisfy Himself. It is a divine kindness that might seem shocking to us. Are we not all used to egotistical people in positions of power? And yet, the omnipotent God is not like them. We see a clear example of this in the the humble Jesus who approaches John for a ceremonial washing that was meant for sinners. The sinless Jesus stands among sinners and elevates the meaning of baptism so that we, His beloved disciples, might be renewed and sanctified by the grace of the Sacrament of Baptism.

Our God is for us, and He is so gentle and respectful of us.

Thank you for reading. Peace.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'”

Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

Matthew 2:1-12 (NABRE)

Two search parties with two very different motivations.

Already, the Christ Child is being hunted. From the start, Jesus lived as one rejected. Even upon learning that Jesus is the Messiah long foretold by the prophets, King Herod, in his greedy rage, attempts to put to death the consolation of Israel. The “experts” in the Hebrew scriptures, the chief priests and the scribes, would have known that the Messiah was foretold to liberate the Jews from the oppression of evil. To them, that meant the expulsion of imperial Roman forces and government structures from Palestine. Regardless, they knew who He was and what He was sent to do. Yet, tragically, they chose not to take heed and follow Him. Instead, they foolishly sought to destroy Him. It almost doesn’t make any sense. Why would they try to thwart their own liberation?

And yet, how often can we, despite knowing of the beauty and rest of Heaven, neglect our salvation? We know what awaits on the other side of death, yet we choose sin. It is the ultimate folly, and we have only ourselves to blame. But we cannot let the fear of missing out propel us forward. When we run away from something, we zig-zag and climb over things and go every which way to try and escape. We have no destination but an undefined area of security that offers us no guarantee of providing lasting shelter.

Re-framed, the task is not so much to run away from that which we fear, but rather to run toward that which we love. The destination is, ultimately, God. But do we not have access to Him already? So He is already with us. In fact, He grasps our hand and gently leads us to where He has created us to be: Heaven. Our fallen humanity may not want us to be led by God, but we possess the intellect and the will to help us do so anyway. We also have the grace of God to help us forward in our struggle. He is with us all the way and is for us.

Thank you for reading. Peace.