It was August of 2012. I had just graduated high school, and like so many of my peers, I was looking for a path forward- and somewhere to go. For many, that means college, for some straight into work- but for me it meant that it was time to go to the seminary. Now, you might expect that at the time I had a very clear vision of everything. You might expect that I saw the light very clearly as to why I was there or how it would end for me- or if I would even succeed. Yet, not very many of the answers were there. Some things were clear- but many were not. Only one thing was clear- I was being called to go forward and to pursue this calling in trust- at least for a while- and then everything would work out.
Now, to be clear, we all likely have many different moments like that in life. We might start off on a new venture or on a journey of sorts, and we find ourselves in a totally new surrounding, and we wonder where we are headed, or how things might turn out at the end. Usually these things happen in such small and temporal things- but what happens when we are confronted with the reality of time? We may not think about it, but our days of Lent are still fairly young- and we might wonder where this journey is seeking to take us. Do we see the reality of where we are headed, or do we have any idea?
If we take a look through the readings that we are presented with today, we actually receive quite a perspective on what we might need to see in regards to where we are headed. The first reading for this morning is taken from the book of Genesis. Last week we dealt with the account of the fall and how that occurred. Some time has elapsed since that initial account, and we have moved on into a new generation- specifically that of Abraham. Though the context isn’t clear at the outset, we are actually listening to an account of a dialogue of the Lord with Abram. Right at the outset- he speaks to Abram- and tells him to “go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.” Now, to be clear, this was not something that would have been easily done at the time. It was not practice to abandon a particular place as this was one’s ancestral heritage- and it simply wouldn’t have been done. Yet, the Lord is taking him from this place to a new one.
This isn’t without any sort of promise or prediction of a prosperous future, however, In all reality, the Lord is speaking very clearly about what is going to happen. He tells Abram “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” No matter the community of the earth- they will all find blessing in Abram all of these things- and that truly is powerful! So, there are a great number of promises that are coming forward to greet Abram in so many ways- yet there is a problem. They aren’t all present just yet- and in fact are going to take a great deal of waiting to some degree. Yet, what is Abram’s response? He decides that the Lord is telling the truth- and therefore- he decides to do something very simple- the account tells us “Abram went as the Lord directed him.” That’s it. There was no argument or any sort of discussion but he simply went forward. The vision that he had was enough to send Him off to go and to uproot himself from everything he ever knew. He had a vision of what the Lord was revealing, and that was enough for him.
The responsorial psalm encapsulates very well this very same idea- Lord, let you r mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.” There is a very real understanding that Abram went forward saying these very same things.
The second reading is taken from Saint Paul’s second letter to Timothy. He speaks into the reality that Timothy finds himself in and tells him- bear your hardship for4 the gospel with the strength that comes from God. Paul continues- he saved us and called us to a holy life- according to the grace given too us in Christ Jesus- which has always been there, but is now given to us in a very powerful way. He is in fact manifest- and has appeared in a very real way- and not a distant one by any means. Yet, Paul speaks about the call- not because it would be easy, but because of the difficulty one might encounter. So, he is reminding timothy of that same reality- this call may not be easy- but Christ calls us and gives us grace.
Finally, we arrive at the Gospel of Matthew. We are told that Jesus takes three of his disciples- Peter, James, and John up a high mountain- and something incredible happens- Jesus is transfigured before them. We are told that this is truly a spectacle to behold- because his face shone, and his clothes become white as light. There appear Moses and Elijah- who converse with him. They are so startled by what is happening that Peter barely knows what to say- he begins to offer to construct tents while they are there- and in the midst of that confusion- there is a very clear voice that rings out “This is my beloved Son with who I am well pleased; listen to him.” This strikes fear in all of the disciples, and they fall. When they are given a simple call from Jesus- they respond- and do not see anyone else other than Jesus. They aren’t given permission to speak about this until the Resurrection- which actually shows an important point of connection- this is all about the Resurrection itself- even though it isn’t the Resurrection just yet.
However, when we consider all of these things, we behold a series of vision and promises. These are never things in this context that have immediate result or are very evident at the outset- yet there is follow through on each of them- whether it is Abram, whether it is Timothy, or even the disciples as a whole. They all have what we would call insight- they are allowed some small thing that reveals to them the reality of what is happening. Abram receives promises in words. The disciples see in vision. Saint Paul it is all be grace. But all of this gives us a series of questions to consider for ourselves at this time.
First, are we able to trust God? Abram is always one who shows us in a very real and vivid way just how much he is willing to trust in the Lord. Today’s passage is particularly powerful because he is willing to leave behind everything- all that he has ever known- and he forsakes it- why? Because the Lord has asked Him to do so. At a simple word from the Lord, he is willing to do all of these things and forsake everything else because he has been promised great things by the Lord- and has even been promised the promised land. Now this Promised Land may be altogether different than our own- but ours is significantly better in being the kingdom of heaven!
Next, we should consider what the Transfiguration itself does for us. It gives us a certain perspective of the disciples and the way that they saw just a small glimpse of what Jesus’s glory would look like. It was just a small prefigurement of that which was to come- but it wasn’t just for Jesus to show the this reality and then sort of tuck it away- but it was for the disciples themselves. Jesus is rapidly approaching the cross- and that is going to be a moment of profound difficulty for all of them. Yet, Jesus is trying to remind them of what is coming to them- that they are being given the ability to endure future things by seeing only some of the glory that is not coming just for Jesus, but is coming for each of them as they get a share in that themselves. Do we see that the Lord Jesus is promising something great to each of us?
Finally, we arrive at the second letter to Timothy. Paul speaks to Timothy and reminds him of the fact that it may be difficult to preach the Gospel- but is he willing to do it nonetheless? Is he willing to put up with hardship for the sake of the Gospel? The reality is that he is not being asked to do this on his own- but he is also being asked to do this by the grace of Jesus- and that is a tremendous strength, because it is only the strength of Jesus that will provide for what they need.
Yet, perhaps the most important thing that we should ask ourselves today- do we have a vision of heaven? Are we aware of where we are headed? If we are not aware of this reality, there are all sorts of struggles that may come up- and we may sell out for something that is so much less than the Gospel itself. In all reality- we may decide its just all too much- and really keep faith as only a secondary back-up plan. But what if Christ asks us to go all in? What if he is asking us to invest more? What if it is being like Abram and giving up everything else and truly following the Gospel with everything we have? Do we have enough confidence and trust in our Lord and God to do this?
When it came to starting my seminary journey- I wasn’t quite sure what was happening- or where I would wind up. All I knew is that the Lord was in it. That was all I needed to know. Brothers and sisters, ay we all have trust, and have a glimpse of heaven, so that no matter if things are easy, or if things are difficult as we follow our Lord, we will continue to seek Him out with our hearts- and we will set our sights on the Kingdom of Heaven, even as it may seem to remain hidden or something that is not easy to see.
