Keep the Faith
March 8, 2009
Gospel: Mark 9:2-10
According to CARA – which is a research center at Georgetown University – about 24% of the population of the United States identify themselves as Catholic. That figure has remained stable for a number of years, but the number of Catholics who attend mass on a regular basis has steadily declined. Only about 23% of American Catholics attend mass once a week and another 21% attend once a month. Just as disturbing are the 10% of the population (about 30 million people) who say they are ex-Catholics.
There are many reasons why people leave the Church - or do not make it an important part of their lives. Some may have lost faith in church leaders – others may have lost their faith in God. Many have just put their faith into a compartment – a mental and moral closet – where it no longer influences any of their life’s decisions.
Even people of faith sometimes put it into a closet. Sometimes it is just out of laziness. At other times - when beset with difficulties or disappointments – we may give up on God because we think that God has given up on us. On the other hand, in times of prosperity many of us like to think that all of the good things that happen to us are the result of our own efforts. We think that the God who made us – and gave each of us special gifts – has little to do with our success in life, so why concern ourselves with such a quaint notion as faith.
Our readings today are about faith – especially when God does things we cannot understand. Abraham must have been shocked when God asked him to sacrifice his only son. Yet, he set out to do as God asked because he trusted that God would keep his covenant and protect Isaac from harm.
The story of the Transfiguration is the story of three men who could not have understood what was happening – but who still had faith in the One they followed.
When Jesus took his three most trusted disciples - Peter, James and John – to the top of a high mountain, he was transfigured. We do not use that word – transfigured – much in everyday conversation. The word that is closest to the Greek word used in the gospel is “metamorphosis.” We use that word even less, but it means that something changes into something else. Think of a caterpillar that changes into a butterfly.
The Jesus that those three disciples saw on that mountain was not Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter’s son who had already performed many miracles that they did not understand. They saw the glorified figure of Jesus the Christ - the Son of God – standing in the presence of Moses and Elijah.
This event is so unbelievable that many have tried to explain it away. Some say that it is just a story that was made-up to emphasize the divinity or Jesus, or to show the link between the Old and New Testaments. Others say that if it occurred at all it must have been after the resurrection. However, there are good reasons to believe, as I do, that it really happened, as recounted in Mark - and in Matthew and Luke as well.
Throughout Mark’s gospel there are many times when Jesus performs a miracle and tells his disciples – and others – not to tell anyone about it. He is not ready to reveal who he really is. But, every time he says that they go out and blab it to everyone they meet. That is how his fame spread.
This time he tells them not to say anything – and they don’t! They are so dumbfounded by this experience that they are afraid if they tell anyone about it they will be locked away in a loony bin.
We know that Peter did not have a clue what was going on. Mark tells us that Jesus was having a nice chat with Moses and Elijah when Peter says “in reply,” “it is good that we are here.” To who or what is Peter replying? No one was speaking to him. And when he offers to build three tents so they can capture the moment, he is just babbling out of fear. Mark says, “He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified” – and that was before they heard the voice from heaven.
These three guys must have been petrified – and it would certainly have been understandable if, when they came down from that mountain, they ran for their lives. But, they did not run - they remained with Jesus.
They were sometimes weak – they would scatter when Jesus is arrested and Peter will deny him three times – but their underlying faith was strong. That faith would be tested by the crucifixion - but would be affirmed by the resurrection. They will come to appreciate that their presence on that mountain was a wonderful gift from God.
Even those of us who practice our faith regularly face times when that faith must be reinforced if it is to remain out of the closet. Lent is a good time to do that – through increased prayer and sacrifice. But, at all times - times of trial and times of prosperity - we must never lose faith. We must never lose sight of God’s love for us. We must never forget that everything we have is a gift from God – to be used for God’s glory and not our own.
Abraham discovered that even the worst thing imaginable could be turned around if you have faith.I think St. Paul put it best: “If God is for us, who can be against us.”
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