This is my chosen Son, listen to Him

Deacon’s Corner

Our Miraculous God.

In our first reading from Genesis, God shows His greatness and love to Abram by telling him that his descendants would be as many as the stars in the sky.  This was a great surprise for a man with no children and both he and Sara were advanced in years. Throughout the book of Genesis, God shows Himself and His power to Abram and to Abram’s descendants. In return God asks for Abram and his people to be obedient. In Chapter 17 of Genesis, God commands Abram to have all men, including servants, to be circumcised so that they might be able to be known as His children.  I know one man in my family who was not circumcised at birth, but when in his 50’s during another surgery the doctor decided to do him a “favor”.  The pain was excruciating for weeks.  God wanted these men to make a commitment and so they did.

God calls each of us to make a commitment and in our own way and own life we suffer pain just as Abram’s people did.  Just as Jesus would do.

What we do on earth is directly connected to our Heavenly relationship with God. If we are loving and obedient, He will honor us in His kingdom. St. Paul says that God will transform our lowly body so that it will conform to His Glorified Body.  His body and ours will be alike.

In the gospel reading we have Jesus’ Transfiguration.  Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on a mountain to pray and while there His face changes and His clothes become a dazzling white.  The apostles saw Him speaking to the deceased Moses and Elijah.  They were overwhelmed with what was happening.  And so it is when God creates miracles and shows His magnificence and power.  Then God says, “This is my chosen Son, listen to Him”. Both at this point and in Jesus’ Baptism are the only times I know in the new testament when God speaks aloud.  In both cases He doesn’t want us to miss the importance of what is happening.  He wants us to know that His covenant is being fulfilled.  His Savior, the Messiah, has arrived.  In our obedience to and love for God, our body will become like Jesus and we will be one with Him in His glorious kingdom.

Deacon Ed