This Sunday, the 2nd Sunday of Lent, we always get the account of Jesus’ Transfiguration. An ancient tradition is that this occurred forty days before Good Friday. Jesus literally shines on the mountain as he prays: “While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.” (Luke 9:29)
I see some great brightness to this week as well. This Sunday, March 13th, Daylight Savings Time begins, so we “spring forward” and get more light in our evening. I am quite fond of this myself. Also, this week is Spring Break for our Catholic Schools and perhaps many other schools as well. Towards the end of the week, we get some bright feast days to celebrate: March 17th is feast day for St. Patrick, March 18th is the feast day for Fr. Kenn Clem’s birthday, and March 19th is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. Sounds like a Triduum almost to me.
In particular, I’d note that St. Joseph’s feast day is of the highest rank—solemnity—and you really ought to feast on this feast day rather than fast. Now St. Joseph’s day falls on a Saturday, but just to prove my point I’ll quote the Church’s canon law here: Canon 1251: “Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday.” I put the bold emphasis in to show that we should’t fast on a solemnity, but instead celebrate and feast. So, if you gave up something, I’d say it would be totally appropriate to enjoy it on Saturday the 19th for St. Joseph. This is also true for another upcoming solemnity, the Annunciation on March 25th—a Friday!!!
Also, bright for me personally is that I’ll be away this week on my annual personal retreat. We priests are strongly encouraged to do this each year in addition to our communal retreat in June. I find it really helpful to my prayer life, so I look forward this retreat. The Transfiguration is a great image for what a retreat does—we metaphorically climb a mountain to encounter Jesus “About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.” (Luke 9:28) We also in a retreat “wake up” from the distractions and noise of the world to see and hear God, “Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.” (Luke 9:32) So, please pray for me this week. I will definitely keep you all in my prayers as well.
Let us also pray for brighter days, for peace, for God’s grace for the people of Ukraine and for all suffering these days. We will be having extra prayer for this by adding every Friday of Lent 6-7pm a Holy Hour with Benediction. We will be taking up a special relief collection for Ukraine the weekend of March 20th. Don’t forget too we have extra confessions in Lent—the normal times of Saturdays 3:30-4:30pm and Wednesdays 12noon-1pm. In Lent we add Wednesdays 6:00-7:00pm. And parish penance services will be the week of April 3-10.
Let us pray as our Sunday Psalm (27) prays: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?”
Peace,
Fr. Greg