Second Sunday of Lent
Two weeks ago, news of a potential Eucharistic miracle at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Morris, Indiana, made the headlines. The report is that on Friday, a host was dropped during daily Mass. The host was put into water and left in the tabernacle to dissolve. Later the priest found another host that had been dropped and placed it in the tabernacle as well. But the next day, when the sacristan was preparing for Saturday Mass, she found traces of blood in the dish. The incident has not been determined as a miracle yet. Such incidents are first investigated by the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith before they are certified as miracles. But the buzz the news created was intense. I had many Catholics say to me, “Did you hear about the Eucharistic miracle?”
There is a part of our human nature that is attracted to the supernatural, the extraordinary, the spectacular. Do we need them for faith? Or is our faith bigger than the supernatural, the extraordinary, the spectacular.
I am drawn to the statement in today’s first reading, “Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness” (Gen 5:8). What does it the statement mean? It means that Abrahams trust in God was considered by God as righteous act. What Abraham did was right in God’s eyes.
The Supernatural, the Extraordinary, the Spectacular
Today’s scripture readings narrate two spectacular events – God’s Covenant with Abraham and the Transfiguration of Jesus. In the first reading, Abraham’s animal sacrifice is consumed by God with a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch that passed between the sacrificed animals. In the gospel reading, the disciples experienced yet another spectacular event – the transfiguration of Jesus. Abraham and Moses appeared alongside Jesus, and the disciples saw the glory of God.
Such events are outside the realm of our experience. We are not people who believe because we have experienced spectacular events. Perhaps that why news of miracles such as the Eucharistic miracles or apparitions grab our attention. The deeper and more personal question is the question of our faith. At a very core level, we ask, “What makes us put our faith in God? Why do we believe? What is the source of our faith? What does our faith rely on?
Faith Without the Spectacular
In order to reflect on the theme of faith and righteousness, I want to talk about Abraham, and Peter, James, and John before the spectacular events in their lives. Abraham had left his home to go to the land that God showed him way before the spectacular Covenant-making ceremony (Gen 15:5-18). In the gospel reading, Peter, James, and John had left their nets and their families to follow Jesus way before the Transfiguration. They believed before the spectacular events transpired. This is the meaning of the words, “Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.” The same can be said of Peter, James, and John.
Today, I want us to recognize that we too are people who have put our faith in God in the way Abraham did and the in the way the disciples did. Most of us have experienced nothing spectacular like they did. Nevertheless, we believe. Life is not easy. Life comes with its web of complications, but we have put our faith in God. I call it spectacular faith. I think we are a people of spectacular faith without the spectacular. I pray, God credit this to us as righteousness.
Spectacular Faith
After the covenant making ceremony, Abraham life was not without the drudgery of human life. He would not have Isaac for a few years yet. Abraham’s faith would be tested again when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac. In the gospel reading too, after the Transfiguration, the disciples found Jesus alone. The disciples wanted to stay up on the mountain but Jesus took them down the mountain. Very soon the disciples would see the same Jesus being crucified. There was nothing spectacular about that. Though it all, Peter, James, and John put their faith in God.
I believe that we ordinary folks have great faith. The most spectacular sight we see is bread and wine on the altar. There is no fire or dazzling sights. And yet we believe in the Real Presence of Christ. There are many people who think that we are foolish to do this. But we have put our faith in God. Often, we beat ourselves up thinking our faith is not strong. Rather, today, I want us to thank God for the faith we do have and for our ability to put our faith in God. May God credit this to us as righteousness.
At this Mass, on this our altar of the Covenant-sacrifice, on our Transfiguration-mountain, there is nothing spectacular. We have just ordinary bread and humble wine. But we still believe it is a Eucharistic miracle. Let us put our faith in God and may God credit it to us as righteousness.
- Fr. Satish Joseph