by Fr. Michael
Jesus takes us with Him deeper into our Lenten journey, and this time we go with Him up the mountain, where His glory is revealed. Going up the mountain is a perennial movement in the religious experience throughout the Old Testament: Abraham and Isaac on the Lord’s mountain of Sacrifice, Moses on the mountain receiving the tablets of the ten commandments, Elijah encountering God in the silent whispering noise on Mount Carmel. We go up the mountain to encounter God, to hear Him speak, to enter into a relationship of love with Him.
We journey up the mountain with Jesus every time we come to Mass. The Mass is the “source and the summit” of our faith; it is the place where we encounter Jesus in the Word, in the community and in the Eucharist. The Mass is the place where we hear God’s voice speaking words of consolation and healing to our wounded hearts. The Mass is where we enter into that definitive relationship of love with God. Today our mission will happen right here in Mass. As we prepare to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we are invited to intentionally open our hearts to this encounter with God. As you process down the aisle to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, see yourself journeying up the mountain with Peter, James and John, to see Jesus’ glory revealed. As we experience the Mass today, we go up the mountain together, and this experience will encourage us to continue our Lenten Journey with renewed Hope.
