Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 18: 21-35

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Have you ever wondered what heaven is like?

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We might imagine it to be a joyful, but distant, place somewhere over the rainbow way up high. While we hope to join our loved ones there some day, often thoughts of it don’t blend with our daily lives. Heaven is out there, not down here.

The Book of Revelation describes it as a city – radiant, clear as crystal, with twelve gates, high walls, and angels protecting it.

A place where every tear is wiped away; where there is no more wailing, pain or death. A place where the poor in spirit, the merciful, the peacemakers, and the clean of heart will participate in a divine banquet with God as the host. 

As magnificent as it must be, Jesus simply refers to it as his, “Father’s house.” The place where the Lord now hangs his hat.

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In today’s Gospel, God the Father literally rips the heavens open, allowing the disciples a glimpse of the place where everything began, and where everything will end.

This vision reveals that, among its residents, are two historical figures from the Old Testament who shepherded God’s people – Moses and Elijah. They speak with Jesus as he is transfigured before his inner circle of friends – Peter, James, and John.

These guys have seen nothing like it before. Who has? So much could be said about what they see, but there’s one detail, in particular, that captures my attention.

Yes, Peter sees the Lord in his unfiltered glory. “His clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them,” the Gospel says. But consider what else – or who else – Peter sees.

Moses and Elijah.

Men who lived centuries before Jesus, yet are somehow alive again! They have names, faces, and bodies. Peter can even distinguish between the two. Moses represents the Law of the Old Testament and Elijah the prophets.

These figures reveal that in heaven, our names, our bodies, and our memories go with us. Nothing is lost. Nothing is forgotten. 

You’ll be you. 

And I’ll be me. 

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Peter is so overcome that he doesn’t know what to do but speak. The only thing that comes to mind is this: “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Peter was not wrong in wanting to build something beautiful for Christ, but he was wrong about the building materials.

Peter proposed constructing a physical tent. But Jesus wanted something different; he aimed to fill Peter’s heart with faith, allowing him to better understand what will happen to Jesus as he is crucified, dies, and rises from the dead.

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The fact that Peter offers to build three tents suggests he sees Jesus, Moses, and Elijah as equals; the Lord was just another great prophet.

Peter has yet to fully understand that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament in himself. He is the long-awaited Messiah; the fulfillment of the Law; the one whom all of the prophets foretold; God’s beloved Son.

The Father affirms this as he interrupts Peter, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!”

Although Peter saw marvelous things – the heavens opened, Christ transfigured, Moses and Elijah floating gloriously alongside Jesus – he failed to put all of the pieces together, reminding us just how difficult it can be to believe.

Faith stretches our minds, enlarges our hearts, and challenges us to see the “fourth dimension” of reality – God’s presence in all things. Not just on a mountaintop, but everywhere.

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What might be other things which Jesus longs for us to “see” today?

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Certainly, he desires for us to see him “transfigured” in the Eucharist; to hear him in his Word; to recognize his presence in the face of our family members, our friends, the unwelcome, the outcast, even within ourselves. 

As the Lord promises at the end of Matthew’s Gospel before returning to heaven:

“Behold, I am with you always.”

Not only at the end, but always.

Now.

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So, have you ever wondered what heaven is like?

Maybe it literally is a city – radiant, clear as crystal, with twelve gates, high walls, and angels protecting it. A place with one massive dining table with a host of empty seats – one of them having our own name on it. I certainly hope to find out.

Until then, each of us is invited to remain close to the One who will lead us there – Jesus Christ, God’s “beloved Son,” the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

How might we follow him more closely this Lent?

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Image credits: (1) Dreamstime.com (2) The Transfiguration, Raphael (3) Lay Cistercians of South Florida

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Gospel: Matthew 5: 20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“I tell you, 
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, 
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The Church is widely known for making distinctions.

For example, there’s a difference between an angel and an archangel, moral versus immoral, good versus evil, or a venial sin versus a mortal sin.

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A venial sin might involve harboring a slight grudge in our heart towards someone who has wronged us; a mortal sin would involve intentionally acting on that anger – let’s say to the point of murder.

While we are most likely not guilty of any mortal sin, we can commit venial sins all the time. 

The temptation is to brush them off, as if they are really not that big of a deal. “I’m still angry at someone…. so what?”

But the Lord tells us that grudge is a big deal, because no sin is permissible in heaven. 

“Whoever is angry with his brother or sister,” Jesus says, “will be liable to judgment. Therefore, leave your gift at the altar, go first and be reconciled.”

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How often do we approach the altar without having done the hard work of reconciliation?

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May the Lord grant us the grace this Lent to live in peace with one another, certainly if that involves giving or accepting an apology.

For no sin is permissible in heaven.

Nor should it be acceptable in the hearts of Christians here on earth.

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Image credits: (1) Pinterest (2) Return of the Prodigal Son, Rembrandt (3) Wallpaper Safari

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Gospel: Luke 11: 29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah. 
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment 
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation 
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here. 
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Ninevah served as the ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire, located in modern-day Iraq. The Assyrians were known for their brutality, invading foreign nations by brute force, even taking over northern Israel in the 8^th century BC.

Thus, the Jews – including the prophet Jonah – held a deep-seeded hatred for the Assyrians. They were not only the enemies of Israel; they were also the enemies of God. This is why Jonah was so reluctant to enter their capital city of Ninevah, telling its residents to repent.

In fact, God commanded Jonah not once, but twice! Finally, Jonah heeded the Lord’s command and, to his absolute surprise, they repented. As we heard in our first reading, “The king of Ninevah rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, and sat in ashes.”

Just like today, in the ancient world, ashes served as a symbol of repentance, humility, and mourning for sin. They remind us that – with the exception of God – all things are passing, even the powerful kingdoms of this world.

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Why was Jonah such an effective instrument, leading the Ninevites to repentance?

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He had nothing to gain.

He traveled a great distance and risked his life, even spending three days and three nights in the belly of a whale, in order to share this divine message with his enemies. When they heard his voice, the Ninevites realized Jonah had no reason to lie.

And wisely, they repented.

We see the same dynamic at work in the Acts of the Apostles. 

Imagine Saint Peter preaching his first public sermon at Pentecost. Speaking before the same crowds who called for Christ’s death, he proclaims, “This man killed, using lawless men to crucify him But God raised him up!”

Peter risked his life to tell this truth – as did every other Apostle. Each of them preferred death to denying Christ.

Here we find the key to authentic Christian witness. We are called to live in this world in a way that doesn’t make sense… unless God exists. 

Namely, love our enemies, pray for those who persecute you, labor for the salvation of all, even to the point of risking your life like Jonah and Peter.

So, what might that look like for us today?

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Image credits: (1) National Catholic Register (2) My Jewish Learning (3) X.com