WE ARE CALLED TO RECEIVE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD.

The readings...

"Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing." [Gen. 12:1-4]

"Join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace." [2 Tim. 1:8-10]

"Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." [Mt. 17:1-9]

The homily...

My brothers and sisters, today's readings open our eyes to the goodness of the Lord! God calls His children to come and receive His blessings!

From the Biblical history of the Old Testament, we learn that God called Abraham out of his land. He told him to go where He would be guided so he and his descendants could receive a great blessing. All this would be received, just for obeying God.

At this point, let us stop and think of how many years we must work to earn enough money to buy land and to built a home on it. Then let us compare compare those efforts to God's free hand-out just for obeying. This certainly draws one towards wanting to obey God to receive such blessings.

Some may say, "Yes, but in those days there was plenty of land to grab. Today, there is no free land." Such an answer would be missing the entire point of God's progressive Divine Plan in Biblical history. God chose Abraham and the Jewish nation as His people to open the door of salvation to everyone. He knew in advance that the Jewish people would turn away from Him in disobedience just as He knows that we do not always obey His commands because of our own weak human nature. Through Abraham, God was preparing the way for the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Who would redeem the world by His Sacred Blood on the cross.

Through the living faith and obedience of Abraham, God was preparing the world for all the people who would have a living faith in Jesus Christ and who would obey Him to become His chosen people. They would become a spiritual people, children of God, belonging to the Kingdom of the Heavenly Father. While we might not be able to obtain physical land and homes in this world, by our faith and obedience, we can obtain spiritual land and homes that will last an eternity. Christ said, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" [Jn. 14:2]

In the early days of the Church, Paul reminded the believers of their holy calling when he told them, "Join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace." [2 Tim. 1:8-10] In the Second Letter to the Corinthians, Paul expands on this teaching when he said, "What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet." [1 Cor. 15:50-2] "Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain." [1 Cor. 15:58]

Now, this transformation that Paul tells us about, that we will experience, we do not know exactly what it will be. But we do know from today's reading of the Gospel that when Jesus took Peter, James and his brother John up a high mountain, they saw something fantastic. They saw Jesus transformed before them, His face shining like the sun and His clothes became dazzling white. They saw the Majestic Glory of Jesus when the Heavenly Father said, "This is My Son, My beloved, with whom I am well pleased." [2 Pet. 1:17-8] Then they saw Moses and Elijah appearing in glory and talking with Jesus about His departure that He was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. [Lk. 9:31] This certainly is eye witnessing proof of the transformation since Moses and Elijah had left the physical world many centuries earlier.

From their spiritual experience, the three Apostles saw the goodness of the Lord, that it was good for them to be there. They wanted to make three tents right on the spot, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah.

This is the message of today's readings. Through Abraham, the Heavenly Father prepared His spiritual people that would form the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. Through Jesus in Who the Heavenly Father is pleased, the Heavenly door to salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of God has been opened to all those who have faith in the Lord, those who obey His teachings. For those who persist, the final reward will be their instant transformation into a glorious being.

My brothers and sisters, I leave you with this spiritual knowledge in hope that you will all strive to please the Lord God so you may inherit the eternal rewards that awaits you all.

Total: 1052 words

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