Catholic Lent Homily Series: The Joy of Penance and the Transfiguration

Catholic Lent Homily Series:  The Joy of Penance and the Transfiguration

Summary:

In this homily for the second week of lent we reflect on the Transfiguration and why the Church would pick Lent for the Gospel reading of Gods revealed glory here on earth.

the church wished to encourage us and to animate us at this season by placing before us the glory which is in store for those who do penance and suffer here. Transcript

Reflection of Catholic Homily

I have read many accounts of Saints who were especially penitent in this life being seen surrounded with uncreated light as they went to heaven after death.

One of those Saints is the newly canonized St Kateri Tekakwitha who appeared after her death to her friend surrounded in light. (Click here to listen to a Free Catholic Audiobook on her life)  St Kateri’s life was filled with brutal penances, whipping herself to blood, fasting to extremes, enduring persecutions from her own Family, burning her flesh to cause pain and spending many hours in prayer in the freezing cold.

You might say to yourself good Christian that aren’t those things excessive?  Our Lord Jesus Christ could have redeemed us all with a single petition from his lips, but he choose to die the horrible death of the cross.  If it was excessive, it was taught in the school of Christ Crucified.

We can be assured of this, that God will not be out done in generosity and that he will abundantly award penitents who suffered for love of him.

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Credits

Music used under attribution license
Kyrie Elesion Giovanni Animuccia: Missa Victimae Paschali Laudes to The Tudor Consort

Image edited from image in the Public Domain