scripture today

Today's first reading came from Genesis.  It tells of God making a covenant with Abram.  Back in that time and place, covenants were made by sacrificing animals, cutting them into halves, and then walking between the two halves.  The intention of that was that if one of the parties should break the covenant, then what happened to the animals should/would happen to them.  A serious matter.  A modern day variation of this is when the bride and groom walk between the bride's family seated on one side of the church and the groom's family seated on the other side.  But back to Abram.  Only God walks between the sacrificed animals.  That is because God knew that it would be impossible for Abram to keep the covenant.  And eventually He sends Jesus to pay the price for the covenant being broken. 

The second reading from St. Paul's letter to the Philippians tells us:   He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.  We are to be changed and transformed.

The gospel tells the story of the Transfiguration - the Apostles in the presence of the glorified Jesus - in God's presence.  "And don't we wish we could have been there?" Father asks.  But we are.  At every Mass we are in God's presence; in the presence of the risen and glorified Lord.  The question last week was "how free do you want to be?"  The question this week is "how Christ-like do you want to be?"  Do we let Christ transform our sinfullness into grace?  Our hurt into forgiveness?  Will we let Him change anxiety to peace; selfishness to love?  This is my chosen Son; listen to him.  If we listen to Him, we will be become more like Him.