| Homily
for the 2nd Sunday of Lent: February 17, 2008
Given by the Most
Reverend Stephen E. Blaire at St. Mary's High School
in Stockton.
I would ask you for a moment to reflect back on the last time you had a keen sense of the presence of God. I must say that I have never had a dramatic experience of God in the way Peter, James and John experienced the glory of Jesus on the high mountain. They heard a voice from the cloud which proclaimed: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”
Paul would have a dramatic experience of God when he would be thrown from his horse and hear a voice asking: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’’ St.Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits had what I would call more of a profound experience when he was recovering from battle wounds and realized from reading the life of Christ that he wanted to devote his life to serving Christ completely. My own experience has been more the profound sense of the presence of God at particular moments.
Often I have had the realization of the providence of God at work. I will share just one example. This past year, one afternoon as I was driving home from a meeting in Sacramento I called my secretary and told her that I did not feel up to keeping my afternoon appointments and that I was going home to rest. When I arrived home I took the trash out and just then Sister Emilie from our office drove by. She stopped and we had a rather significant conversation about a particular matter and both of us were grateful for this opportunity. Two days later Sister Emilie died. I believe the providence of God brought about our time together in discussion.
Most of the time God is not found in the dramatic events of life but, as the Scriptures suggest, in the gentle blowing breeze, in the silence and mysterious experiences of everyday life. Life has its hardships but I am firmly convinced that a sense of the reality of the presence of God makes us strong. Is this not what Paul meant when he wrote to Timothy: “Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.” The God Who is present in the world and deep within in each of us is a God Who loves us and wants us to advance in grace and wisdom.
The commandments of God and the teachings of Christ are not rules to be followed. God has no interest in us achieving high standards of ethical behavior. God wants us to experience His presence and His love and for us to change our lives because we are so loved – to live for God in whatever we do. The final judgment will be on what we have done for His Son’s brothers and sisters. That is why Lent is a time for prayer which acknowledges the presence of God; a time for self denial because we acknowledge the dominion of God over our lives and live in an obedience of faith to God; and a time of mercy and almsgiving and forgiveness - for that is the way of God.
Peter, James and John did not want to leave the experience of Jesus being transfigured. They wanted to stay there. We often look in the wrong places for our happiness. But if we truly find God we will not want to leave. Our prayer this Lent can come from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius: “Lord, grant that I may see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly.”
Last Update February 19, 2008
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