Reflections
Psalm 27: 1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14 (Read)
“Come, says my heart, seek God’s face;
Your face, Lord, do I seek!”
Our psalmist, David, puts into words
what we feel in our hearts, which is
to seek a right relationship with
the Lord. We are drawn to the Lord;
we wish to speak to Him face to face,
to be in His presence, to listen to
His Word, and to serve Him faithfully.
We may not have the faith of Abraham
(Genesis 15:6), but we know that
a right relationship with the Lord is
key for us, because without that close
relationship, we have little chance
of salvation. Our psalmist knows the
critical importance of salvation,
“Do not forsake me, God, my savior.”
Few of us will be able to speak directly
with God, but God makes himself
accessible to us through His Son, Jesus.
And in this Sunday's 2nd reading,
St Paul promises that our own bodies
will be changed, to conform with Christ’s
glorified body. (Philippians 3:21)
This is how our own personal transfiguration
takes place.
What can we do to be sure we share in
Christ’s glory? St Paul tells the brothers
in Philippi, “Stand firm in the Lord.”
And our psalmist agrees, “Wait for the Lord,
take courage, be stouthearted, wait for
the Lord.”
What better way for us to stand firm in
the Lord than to commune with Him in
prayer, to worship Him, to be transformed
by Him, as were those disciples that day
when Jesus was transfigured on the
mountain. (Luke 9:29) Having been
transformed, we, like the disciples,
will be emboldened in our faith --
“Of whom should I be afraid?”
In our day to day battles against evil forces,
we need not fear anyone, for He is our refuge.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist seeks God's face. Does your heart seek a right
relationship with the Lord? Speak of how you are drawn to the Lord,
and how He makes himself accessible to you.
2. The season of Lent can be a time of transformation for us. But we
cannot change our hearts by ourselves; we all need the Lord's help,
as does our psalmist, 'You are my helper; cast me not off.' Tell of how
you are becoming a better person with the help of the Lord.
In various times in my life the Lord has met me in times of my weakest moments. He has been loving and has shown me great mercy and forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteI want to always please Him by having a better relationship with Him and come to know His Father. In adoration I have found my deepest connection with Him.
As our psalmist knows the importance of salvation for human beings, he also knows we have little chance of salvation without a close, right relationship with God. If I stand firm in the Lord, I will be transformed by Him because my personal transformation will take place.
ReplyDeleteOn the mountain where He was transfigured, Jesus was confirmed to be the Messiah, with a messianic mission to suffer, die, and be resurrected for our Redemption. His face shone like the sun, his clothes were as white as the light. And God gave him divine authority and commanded me to listen to Him. If I am seeking his face in order to live in His presence each day of my life, I might share in Jesus' glorified body which he received because of his obedience and surrendering to God.
I try to follow in his footsteps by imitating Him. In this way I can make myself accessible to God through Jesus. During the season of Lent, I'll go to Confession as often as possible and do Penance by charitable acts, showing love to the lonely and needy, praying more so that I am able to be transformed into a better person and stay holy.
What is the key factor in building a relationship with anyone? The answer is: spending time together. Through just being together, whether talking over coffee, or via phone, or just hanging out without conversation, we feel closer to the other person. How much more so with God!
ReplyDeleteIn order to build a right relationship, we need to choose to be with Him. He is ALWAYS ready and waiting; His calendar is never full. If we name the time and place, He is there, with outstretched arm and ear.
Our dates with God can be in prayer (both out loud or silent), time at Adoration, Mass, or meditation out in nature. Our encounters with the Creator of the Universe can take many forms, and I am sure He appreciates when we are creative with Him. He is accessible everywhere.
During Lent, I am especially mindful of maintaining a right relationship with the Lord and with Jesus and Mary, who intercede for me everyday.
Those of us who are Christians, certainly want to be right with the Lord. And, that’s what Lent is all about. It’s about getting back on track with the Lord. It’s about focusing on what’s important, and making the extra effort during Lent. The world continues to become more and more complicated, and that's the devil working overtime. My wife and I are firm believers that we have lived in "the best of times.” May God continue to bless all of us.
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