2nd Sunday of Lent homily - Our Goals!
How can we get to where we are going, if we do not know our destination?
I am presuming that there are people like me who like nice, tidy, cleaning endings.
Nothing long and drawn out...just get it done.
I want a project well defined, and I want it completed...otherwise my attention span is gone and I forget about it.
Same thing with goodbyes too...just say goodby; these long drawn out experience...uggh.
Think about our election cycle! We don’t even have to vote for another year and a half, but already….so LONG and DRAWN out.
Our society seems to like immediate gratification and the easy path.
If we could get 6 pack abs and buns of steel with one gym workout, or even better, one pill...that would be awesome!
Think of the old cartoon the Jetsons...the many pills that took care of the immediate needs.
And how many of us could go back to the old dial up internet?...all that noise, so slow…. I get upset if a page doesn’t load within half second.
NOW NOW NOW
Once a man approached me and told me that if we cut out all the music, the mass would actually go faster. Meaning he could get out sooner.
Then there are those people too who want to know how late can they arrive and how early can they leave so that the mass counts. SIGH
Yet, also think about our gardens that we will soon be getting ready once all the snows is gone from Peavine Mountain. We seed, water, weed, water, weed, water, water weed…
The veggies don’t become ready until later, much later depending on which vegetable they are.
We have to work and wait, work and wait.
There is a lot actually beyond our control, that we have to wait for.
Relationships that need nurturing. Getting ourselves healthy.
Discerning a vocation.
What remains critical is keeping that big picture in front of us: the Goal.
One of the items talked about in Engaged Encounter is the distinction between Ideals and Values.
An Ideal is an objective good, we know it as such, and accept it as such.
A Value is when we are willing to work for and give for that Ideal.
We have a goal as Christians!
We have a purpose as the Baptized followers of Jesus Christ, that is to be a value for us Not just an ideal.
That Goal is the fulfillment of the kingdom of Heaven here on earth.
This was the goal of Jesus Christ. It was His mission, and it is ours.
For this we were created.
This Gospel of the Transfiguration..remarkable in many ways.
Nothing long and drawn out...just get it done.
I want a project well defined, and I want it completed...otherwise my attention span is gone and I forget about it.
Same thing with goodbyes too...just say goodby; these long drawn out experience...uggh.
Think about our election cycle! We don’t even have to vote for another year and a half, but already….so LONG and DRAWN out.
Our society seems to like immediate gratification and the easy path.
If we could get 6 pack abs and buns of steel with one gym workout, or even better, one pill...that would be awesome!
Think of the old cartoon the Jetsons...the many pills that took care of the immediate needs.
And how many of us could go back to the old dial up internet?...all that noise, so slow…. I get upset if a page doesn’t load within half second.
NOW NOW NOW
Once a man approached me and told me that if we cut out all the music, the mass would actually go faster. Meaning he could get out sooner.
Then there are those people too who want to know how late can they arrive and how early can they leave so that the mass counts. SIGH
Yet, also think about our gardens that we will soon be getting ready once all the snows is gone from Peavine Mountain. We seed, water, weed, water, weed, water, water weed…
The veggies don’t become ready until later, much later depending on which vegetable they are.
We have to work and wait, work and wait.
There is a lot actually beyond our control, that we have to wait for.
Relationships that need nurturing. Getting ourselves healthy.
Discerning a vocation.
What remains critical is keeping that big picture in front of us: the Goal.
One of the items talked about in Engaged Encounter is the distinction between Ideals and Values.
An Ideal is an objective good, we know it as such, and accept it as such.
A Value is when we are willing to work for and give for that Ideal.
We have a goal as Christians!
We have a purpose as the Baptized followers of Jesus Christ, that is to be a value for us Not just an ideal.
That Goal is the fulfillment of the kingdom of Heaven here on earth.
This was the goal of Jesus Christ. It was His mission, and it is ours.
For this we were created.
This Gospel of the Transfiguration..remarkable in many ways.
And why do we get it now, here in the 2nd week of Lent?
Jesus gives to those disciples the Goal; Jesus’ glorification that changes the world! It will Inaugurate that Kingdom.
This Goal is part of God’s GREAT plan for all the all world. A plan that began even before creation
God has worked to make this happen. God values creations
God created us in God’s own image to make this happen.
Moses and Elijah worked to make it happen, and they waited.
And that’s the point. Work and wait.
See, Jesus did not just get all transfigured and stay that way.
Peter wants that! He want to stay all worship-y on the mountain.
No...Jesus says the work must be done first.
He must give of himself and die through the sinfulness of humanity, so that the lie of the world, the deception of the world is exposed. And God’s justice is made reality,
We still have a lot of work to do.
Our mission is not complete yet, not as long as there are people who starve and die of thirst.
Not as long as there are people oppressed because of their gender, nationality or any other reason.
Not as long as there is one child who remains in harm’s way,
Not as long as one dying person is encouraged to kill them self
Not as long as one person is being executed.
Not as long as people are being killed because of their religion, out of fear for one’s own race.
We have our work, our goal.
We remember this in each Eucharist that we celebrate, and in this very special time of Lent...there is a purpose, we have a mission.
We ourselves may not see it to the end in our lifetime, but we commit ourselves to God’s kingdom here on earth. If we value it?
Jesus gives to those disciples the Goal; Jesus’ glorification that changes the world! It will Inaugurate that Kingdom.
This Goal is part of God’s GREAT plan for all the all world. A plan that began even before creation
God has worked to make this happen. God values creations
God created us in God’s own image to make this happen.
Moses and Elijah worked to make it happen, and they waited.
And that’s the point. Work and wait.
See, Jesus did not just get all transfigured and stay that way.
Peter wants that! He want to stay all worship-y on the mountain.
No...Jesus says the work must be done first.
He must give of himself and die through the sinfulness of humanity, so that the lie of the world, the deception of the world is exposed. And God’s justice is made reality,
We still have a lot of work to do.
Our mission is not complete yet, not as long as there are people who starve and die of thirst.
Not as long as there are people oppressed because of their gender, nationality or any other reason.
Not as long as there is one child who remains in harm’s way,
Not as long as one dying person is encouraged to kill them self
Not as long as one person is being executed.
Not as long as people are being killed because of their religion, out of fear for one’s own race.
We have our work, our goal.
We remember this in each Eucharist that we celebrate, and in this very special time of Lent...there is a purpose, we have a mission.
We ourselves may not see it to the end in our lifetime, but we commit ourselves to God’s kingdom here on earth. If we value it?
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