Fr. Mike’s Daily Homily for Saturday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II (1)

Fr. Mike’s Daily Homily for Saturday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II

Theme: Listen to him

By: Fr. Mike Lagrimas

Homily for Saturday February 19 2022

Mk 9:2-13

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

The Coming of Elijah. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant. Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He told them, “Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things, yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

“This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” In the presence of the three disciples on the mountain, the heavenly Father’s voice was heard, confirming to them that Jesus is, indeed, the Son of God. Then the Father enjoined them: “Listen to him!”

Jesus is the Eternal Word. The Apostle John proclaimed this truth in the Prologue of his Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. And the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh.” Just as any spoken human word is meant to be heard, so also the Divine Word has to be listened to. Hence, the heavenly Father’s admonition: “Listen to him.”

The Blessed Virgin Mary, who carried the Eternal Word in her womb is the first and perfect disciple of Jesus, for she always listened to Him, keeping everything in her heart. That is why, at the first public miracle of the Lord, this was also her instruction to the waiters at the wedding banquet: “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5). They must always listen to Him and follow His instructions carefully.

This is a very important point for us all to consider. If this is the instruction of the heavenly Father and of the Blessed Virgin Mary as well, how often and how intently do we listen to Jesus? Like the Apostle Peter, we should be able to say, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68).

Sadly, however, so many people do not take this important lesson seriously. Many of them do not have the time and interest to listen to the Lord’s words. They are just too busy with so many worldly concerns. Many others are selective in their listening. They are the so-called Cafeteria Catholics. They only listen to the teachings that are advantageous to them and are comfortable with. And many more, instead of listening, still wait and look for extraordinary signs such as visions, revelations and miracles to support their beliefs.

To such people, St. John of the Cross has these strong words: “He who may now wish for some vision or revelation, not only would be wishing something foolish, but would offend God by not turning his eyes totally on Christ, wanting no novelty or any other thing, because God could answer them in this fashion, saying, ‘If I have already spoken to you of these things in my Word, who is my Son, and I have no other, what more can I answer or reveal to you? Fix your eyes on him alone, for in him I have said and revealed it all to you, and in him you will find still more of what you are asking for and are seeking…; hear him, because I have no more faith to reveal nor any more things to make known.’” (cf. The Ascent of Mount Carmel, 2, 22, 5).

Jesus speaks to us in prayer. This is something we must keep in mind whenever we pray. Many of us think that prayer mainly consists in talking to God, and we expect that He listens to us. Surely, He always listens to everything we say in our prayers. But the fact is, He already knows everything, even the unspoken prayers of our heart. Prayer, then, rather than talking to God, is more of listening to Him. He is the Eternal Word. So, it means that He is always saying something to us. Do we listen? Or are we just too preoccupied with what we are asking from Him that His words are totally ignored?

God created us with two ears and only one mouth. Clearly it tells us that we have to listen more and talk less. In prayer, we listen to God more rather than talk. On the mountain, the heavenly Father said, “Listen to Him.” He did not say, “Talk to Him.”

Needless to say, in this world so full of noise and chaos, we need to struggle to put ourselves in silence, both external and internal. We have to close the doors of our external senses, to go to our inner room, and there we will be able to listen to Him, giving us peace, enlightenment and important direction in our life. When we have listened enough, only then can we act and do God’s will. We can never be mistaken.

Fr. Mike Lagrimas

St. Michael the Archangel Parish

Diocese of Novaliches