There Is Another Place More Beautiful Than Here

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Twins, a brother and sister, were talking to each other in the womb.  The little sister said, “There is life after birth.”  And her brother protested saying, “no, no it is impossible; this is all there is.”  But the little girl insisted: “There must be something more than this place where there is light and freedom.”  But she could not convince her brother that this was true.  Then she added, “I have something more to say.  I don’t think you will believe me, but I think there is a Mother also.”  Her brother became very mad and said, “What are you talking about?  I have never seen a mother and neither have you.  Who gave you this idea?  This place is all there is.”  The little sister responded, “Don’t you feel this pressure sometimes?  It is even painful at times, and I think it is to get us ready for another place which is really beautiful and where we can see our mother face to face.  Don’t you think that is something really exciting?”

Luke’s gospel is something like this story.  It is Jesus’ personal experience about his Exodus from this world by what he will accomplish in his passion and death.  In other gospels this story tells more about lifting up the apostles after Jesus announces that he will have to suffer and die.  Jesus invites these apostles and us to look up, to see heaven, to see where we are going like the little girl in our story.  Many people today are like the little boy.  They don’t see the glory that God is preparing for us.  They think work and sports and material things are much more important.  They transmit this to their kids.

Lent is a long time, seven weeks, so it is important for us to enter it well and to see the aim or goal of this time: to prepare ourselves to enter the glory of the resurrection.  So plan well your Easter Sunday and put this celebration of the Eucharist as the most important part of the day!  And everything else goes around it.

God sends us these little experiences of transfigurations to keep us going when times get tough. I hope you see these glimpses of God’s love on Sundays, or with your children or grandchildren.  One first grader told his family that his New Year’s resolution was to go to Mass more often.  His parents were amazed since they did not go much.  My mom is being transfigured by her illness and is becoming a much sweeter person; the medications help this along, for sure.  But at her Exodus her mind will be fully restored and the rest of her body.  We don’t think this way too often and this gospel reminds us that to attain glory we have to pass through suffering.  To be alive, to make something of our life requires that I pass through suffering.

These personal experiences remind us that God is leading us in a particular direction and we too will be transfigured and transformed one day.  We will have the same body, but glorious and better than this one; I hope.  St. Paul says, “Our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a Savior, the Lord, who will change our bodies to be like his in glory.”

God is telling us that we will be transformed into something new and beautiful.  But in order for this to happen I need to enter seriously this Season of Lent.  I need to pick up my cross and carry it.  What cross do I have?  My studies or more particular my Algebra homework, my trouble in getting along with my sister or brother, my relationship with my father or mother, the illness that I have or inability to get a better job or to make more money.

When I pick up my cross and follow him, he will reveal his kingdom.  To follow Christ is to help serve in the parish and we will see that to follow him is a tremendous blessing.  Following Christ is about fullness of life today, not just sometime in the future.  It changes everything about my life now.  This transformation is an experience of God’s action, his communication and his glory NOW, right in our very lives.

This suffering that we have to undergo in Lent is the way to glory.  So it is important to remain faithful to your Lenten promises: no alcohol during Lent, or don’t curl or straighten your hair, or 5 minutes of prayer of speaking with the Lord in the morning or evening, using the Little Black Book, or getting up early, or visiting your neighbors or giving money or time to the poor or to your parish.

What do we hear God, the Father saying in the gospel today?  It is only thing that he ever says, “This is my Beloved son, listen to him.”  This is the only thing the Father tells us.  “Listen to my Son!!  What Jesus is doing by suffering and dying for us is the reason he became a man like us.  You will have to do the same!”  He is showing us this way to be at peace, to be happy.  Allow God to take hold of you in your weaknesses, and he will raise you up.  Don’t ignore them or try to solve them yourself, put them before God and he will transform them, and you.

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