2nd Sunday of Lent--Fulfillment in God

To be fulfilled as a person, to be human:  what does it all mean?
People search for it;  people want to “Search for themselves” so they will eat their way in Milan, or visit an Ashram, do all these exotic acts.  They buy lots of books, take classes.
Catholics...well, fulfillment is in part what this Gospel scene is about.
We know that Jesus is the Son of God, announced at his birth, baptism, and at this transfiguration.  
The transfiguration It is a moment when his divinity literally shows through within his body.  
And as amazing as this event is, it is not what Jesus is about.  The church, the salvation of humanity does not remain on Mt Tabor.
This is why he does not want to stay up there with Peter and the guys.
No, Jesus’ fulfillment as the Son of God, as human and divine is not in this moment...
He knows that his fulfillment will be in the cross and resurrection.
In that supreme moment when he trusted in the Father’s love for him, which he gave all for all.
Humanity’s salvation is when Jesus shows the radical love of God
He revealed to us the way, the truth and life:  our fulfillment as persons and our salvation is the same:  to recognize that we too are God’s children and that we respond by giving love to others.
This is the path to fulfillment.
Do we understand the utter simplicity, elegance and power of this?
Fulfillment is to begin and then deeply experience God’s radical love for us.
It is to know that God has given all for us.
Fulfillment is to respond by this radical love by radically loving others and letting others love us.
Fulfillment is in the home when spouses give of themselves to each other completely for the good of the other;
When parents give of themselves for their children;
Children to their sibling and parents
Fulfillment of ourselves as persons is through the acts of forgiveness when we are angry with one another; it is withholding judgement, it is those acts of compassion that we show.
It is seeing another human person as a child of God.
Think of when we feel most fulfilled as a person.  I hope it is actually in those moments when we have connected with someone, and truly showed them love.  
I don’t know how many of you are familiar with the Crossroads project, a joint venture between Catholic Charities and Washoe County.  It’s a place for men and women to find community, get off the streets, get out of jail, and get healthy.  There is a woman who visits there on Thursdays, and all she does is she brings in sandwiches.  Simple.  The men there look forward to it, because most are only on food stamps, and at the end of the month especially food is scarce.  She helps to make a difference.  She is being that child of God.  She is being true to herself.
The church too fulfills itself not in its glorious cathedrals, exaltant music and wonderful rituals:   as beautiful as they are, they are meant to inspire the community to go and act.  
We are to to go those who are in need; giving aid to those whose lives are in distress because of sickness, because of natural disasters; because of addiction and poverty.
This is why we are church, to make known God’s love!
We are church to go and do something.
We shine brightest when we are working for the good of all.
We think of St. Teresa of Calcutta and her amazing work.
We think of Catholic Relief Services going into countries helping people after disasters.
The hospitals and schools, or when we spoke up for those who were being silenced by governments.
Sin, is when we deliberately fail in this.  It is when we think solely of ourselves; when we reject what is truly good.
Its when we use others to obtain pleasure;  when we ignore the needs of others.
Our church’s darkest moments have been this: the scandals of this century, the abuses, corruption and violence in times past.
So much pain and suffering is caused by this.
We are meant to go and do what is good.  We are meant to be human.
We are meant to shine as humans and reflect the goodness of God that is within as the Children of God.
And Eucharist calls us to this.
We receive the very person of Jesus Christ, body and soul, together.  We consume it, so as to be as Jesus.  To be reminded, empowered to go out and be as Jesus.
We are reminded that our very identity is first and foremost rooted in the God, God alone.
And in God, God’s love and responding to God’s love we find out who we truly are.

Imagine what that would be like?

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