[00:00:05] Hello! My name is Sally Moriarty-Flask. Welcome to: From His Word to Our Hearts, my weekly Bible Study podcast. Together we will explore the readings to be proclaimed at the Catholic Mass on Sunday, March 16, 2025, the Second Sunday of Lent.
This week's episode is entitled: Future Glory, and in these readings, when we encounter the light of Jesus’ Transfigured Body, we are reminded that our ultimate destiny lies in a resurrected and similarly transformed body. But heaven can seem so very far away when we are trapped by the unrelenting demands of this world. The season of Lent helps us silence the world's noise and listen more closely to our Heavenly Father, who tells us - in no uncertain terms - to listen to his Son, Jesus.
As we journey through the readings this week, consider the following: have we made progress on our Lenten journey? Have our disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving helped us turn down the noise of the world and listen more closely to Jesus? If so, that is amazing and we need to keep going. If not, it's not too late! It's never too late, and a good way to make a fresh start is always to listen to Jesus.
[00:01:31] Let's begin.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for our Lenten journey. We ask that you strengthen our efforts to discipline ourselves through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. May the words of your Son Jesus dwell within us so that we become what you intend us to be, the very best version of ourselves. We ask this through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now that we've opened our hearts in prayer, let's listen to what God is telling us in the Scriptures.
Our Gospel this week is From Luke 9: 28b-36.
[00:02:16] “[Jesus] took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Eli’jah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep but kept awake, and they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli’jah’-not knowing what he said. As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.’
[00:03:33] On the Second Sunday of Lent, we always hear the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus and this year, in Cycle C, we hear Luke's version of that event.
[00:03:43] This is recorded in all three synoptics: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But Luke's account is the only one that tells us WHAT Jesus spoke about with Moses and Elijah. And it is the only one that says the three apostles were drowsy… the NAB translation actually says they fell asleep while the RSV (this one) says they remained awake. I think it's quite fascinating that none of the Gospel authors that include this event actually witnessed it… not one of them. Matthew would have heard about it from his fellow Apostles; Mark would have been told about it by Peter (who was present); and Luke would have most likely interviewed all of the Apostles so as to ensure the authenticity of his information. None of that really matters… it's just an interesting observation. So, let's delve into Luke's account of the Transfiguration.
“[Jesus] took with him Peter and John and James.
[00:04:47] This is Jesus' Inner Circle - the first disciples he called, the men who were closest to him, the ones Jesus trusted to witness his most profound experiences. It's also worth noting that we usually hear the names in a particular order: Peter, James, and John. This passage puts them in a different order: Peter and John and James.
[00:05:18] There could be a couple of reasons for that. First, it could have been because of John's importance in the early Church and his close collaboration with Peter… John eventually became the leader of the Church in Ephesus (after Paul's companion Timothy), while James became the leader of the Church in Jerusalem. So, James stayed a little closer to home; John spent a little more time away from the home city of Jerusalem. So…
“[Jesus] took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.”
Jesus often went away from the crowds to communicate with his Heavenly Father through prayer and mountains were considered to be places of encounter with the divine - so going up on a mountain to pray is nothing unusual for Jesus. The particular mountain that Luke is referring to is probably Mount Tabor, which is now actually called the Mount of the Transfiguration. Mount Tabor is about 11 miles east of the Sea of Galilee. Some have suggested that Mount Hermon (which is about 60 miles north of the Sea of Galilee) and which is taller and more impressive than Mount Tabor, is actually a better location for the Transfiguration. However, Mount Tabor has been accepted as the site of the Transfiguration since the time of the early Church fathers: Origen in the 3rd century and both Cyril of Jerusalem and Jerome in the 4th century identified Mount Tabor as the site of the Transfiguration. There is a beautiful church on top of Mount Tabor called the Church of the Transfiguration and I will include some photos from my trip to Israel that included the Church of the Transfiguration. I will put those on my Instagram this week.
“[A]s [Jesus] was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white.”
[00:07:27] All the synoptics mention that Jesus’ appearance changed and his clothing became white. These details hint that the Apostles saw Jesus’ divinity shining through his physicality - that his humanity, in a sense, became almost transparent allowing his deepest identity as the Divine Son of God to become clear… to shine forth. All three synoptics also say that Jesus' clothing became white - and while each author employs different modifiers in their description (Luke says dazzling) - nevertheless, we should hear, in those words, an echo of the description of the Ancient of Days (meaning God) in the book of the prophet Daniel (Daniel 7).
“And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Eli’jah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem.”
Moses and Elijah, appearing in glory and speaking to Jesus, demonstrate that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises made by God to his Chosen People - Moses embodies the Law and Elijah embodies the Prophets - so all of Jewish Tradition is represented by their appearance with Jesus.
[00:09:04] But remember, only Luke tells us WHAT they discussed. Luke says that Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus of his exodus, which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Now capital “E” Exodus specifically means the 40-year journey of the Israelites after their liberation from slavery in Egypt. When Moses and Elijah talk to Jesus about his exodus (that's lowercase “e” exodus) that he will accomplish in Jerusalem - they mean his Crucifixion and Death. And because the Gospel links the Transfiguration with the Crucifixion, we should see in the presence of those two men a glimpse of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus… Moses and Elijah cast shadows from Mount Tabor that become - in the darkness of the Crucifixion - the two thieves on the hill of Golgotha.
“Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep but kept awake,”
Again, the RSV translation, which I use, says they stayed awake; the NAB says they were overcome by sleep.
“they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.”
[00:10:43] We already know that Peter, John, and James saw Jesus’ Transfigured glory, this confirms that they also saw Moses and Elijah. Why is that important?
[00:10:55] Well, in a Jewish court of law at the time, the testimony of two people (specifically two men) was required in order for a statement to be considered valid - accepted - in a court of law. Luke tells us that the three members of Jesus’ Inner Circle saw not only his Transfigured glory, but also Moses and Elijah.
[00:11:24] They saw Moses and Elijah with Jesus.
“[A]s the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli’jah’ – not knowing what he said.”
Peter's offer to build booths for the three men gives us a hint of exactly when this event occurred. It must take place at about the time of the Jewish feast of Sukkot, also called the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths. Sukkot is one of the three great pilgrim feasts when Jews were required to travel to Jerusalem, if they were able to travel to Jerusalem. During the festival, people would build little tents out in the fields with thatched leaves for the roofs, and live in them for seven days as a way of remembering the Exodus (and that's capital “E” Exodus) - the 40-year journey in the wilderness that ended in the Promised land. Luke also tells us that Peter was unaware of what he was saying, likely because - being drowsy and disoriented - he unwittingly put Jesus, Moses, and Elijah all on the same level of importance… rather than according Jesus, as the Son of God, his rightful supremacy over Moses and Elijah. And remember, by this time, Peter had already - openly - declared that Jesus was the Son of God. And if you'll remember, that happened at - near - Caesarea Philippi. And if you'll remember, that happened near Caesarea Philippi.
“As [Peter] said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.”
[00:13:21] Of course, they were afraid! A cloud would have recalled, for the Apostles, the Shekinah Glory of God that descended upon the Tent of Meeting in the desert during the Exodus! Clouds serve as a visible manifestation of God's glory, his power, and his presence. If Peter, John, and James were frightened by the cloud, imagine how they must have felt about what happens next!
“And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’”
[00:14:02] If those are the words God chose to speak to the Apostles – and, by extension, to us - I think we’d better do what he says… we need to listen to Jesus! And the Apostles were told this would be coming - they were warned, right? Think back to Deuteronomy 18: “The Lord… will raise up for you a prophet like me… from among your brethren - him shall you heed.”
[00:14:29] Moses, who speaks for the law, told the people that in Deuteronomy 18… they couldn't have been surprised… they knew the law… they knew their history.
“And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.”
I think it's probably beyond our capability to fully understand the profound silence the Apostles experienced at that moment. The complete and utter lack of any sound whatsoever after the voice of God spoke from out of the cloud. I don't know if you've ever been in a really large underground cavern or cave, but this passage always brings to mind - for me - Mammoth Cave, which is the largest cave system in the world and which I have been lucky enough to visit several times. There is a special kind of silence in a cave… a silence so deep and so intense that it is almost a physical presence. That is the closest my imagination gets to what I think the Apostles must have experienced at that point.
[00:15:47] Luke then tells us…
“[T]hey kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.”
Now, Matthew and Mark in their Gospels tell us that Jesus instructed them to tell no one. Luke, however, says simply, they kept silent. Either way, the lesson for us is that this was a time for those three men to ponder the experience and remember it.
[00:16:23] It was a time for them to listen and learn, because the time would come… all too soon… when it would be their turn to speak. After Jesus’ Crucifixion and Death… after his Resurrection… that will be their time to speak. Now, they must listen, learn, understand, and remember.
[00:16:49] The Transfiguration recounts that Jesus’ appearance was altered, we hear that his sweat became like drops of blood during his Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, we know that his Body was transformed by the Resurrection because even those closest to him, those who knew him best, didn't recognize him, Saint Thomas Aquinas described the qualities of Jesus' Glorified Body based on information provided by the Gospels - but the Scriptures never provide a physical description of Jesus.
And I think in our hearts, we don't really want to know… not in this world. We know we will see Jesus when we die and undergo individual judgment, we know that we will see him at the end of time, we hope to be in his presence in heaven in the next life - but in this life I don't think we really want to know, and perhaps more importantly, I don't think we really need to know. And I think at the heart of it, that's why none of the Gospels actually describe Jesus’ physical appearance. The Transfiguration event offered Peter, John, and James a foretaste of Jesus’ true glory and perhaps the briefest glimpse of their own destiny. And it offers us a preview of our destiny… which makes heaven seem not quite so far away. So, let's redouble our efforts in this Lenten journey to listen less to the world and more to Jesus!
[00:18:53] That takes us to our First Reading, which is from Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18.
“[The Lord God took Abram] outside and said, ‘Look toward the heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And [Abram] believed the Lord; [who] reckoned it to him as righteousness. [H]e [then] said to him, ‘I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chalde’ans, to give you this land to possess.’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a she-goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’ And he brought him all these, cut them in two, and laid each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, a dread and great darkness fell upon him. When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphra’tes.’”
This passage takes place immediately after Abram's encounter with Melchizedek, that nebulous figure that appears only once in the Bible and then mysteriously disappears. Although he is mentioned, referenced, in Psalm 110 and the letter to the Hebrews. But this is not Abram's finest hour - in the first four verses of chapter 15 (which we don't hear) Abram is essentially whining to God about not yet having an heir. God, like any father tired of hearing his child complain, convinces Abram to see his situation differently… he distracts him, so let's hear how he does it…
“[The Lord God took Abram] outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’”
[00:21:39] There are two things I want to point out here. First, we're not told whether this takes place at night or during the day… the Bible is silent on that point. And that relates to my second point, which is Abram's task of numbering the stars is kind of dependent upon being able to see them.
[00:22:03] So, if this encounter takes place in daylight, a significantly greater amount of faith would have been required of Abram, since no stars would be visible to count… so counting them would become nearly impossible. If, however, this event took place at night, there's still an extremely high degree of difficulty. Yes, Abram would have been able to see the stars, but the sheer number of stars that would have been visible in the darkness of the wilderness would be almost unfathomable. We don't think about it… there's so much light pollution in our world, but if you get far enough away from sources of artificial light and you look up, the stars look so thick you could just reach up and grab a handful. So, imagine when there was no artificial light and you're in the wilderness - that's part of what we're asked to imagine, right? So, either way, the task God assigns Abram is a huge test of his faith.
[00:23:17] “Then [God] said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’”
This is actually the second time that God offers Abram a promise about his descendants. The first is in chapter 13, when God promised descendants as numerous as THE DUST OF THE EARTH. And of course, the promise most of us can easily quote is: YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE AS NUMEROUS AS THE STARS OF THE SKY OR THE SANDS OF THE SEASHORE - but that doesn't take place until chapter 22. But after this second promise…
“[Abram] believed the Lord; [who] reckoned it to him as righteousness.”
Meaning that Abram was in right relation with God because he believed the promise God made to him. The upcoming verses that we will hear then describe a typical Covenant Ritual - what was also called Cutting a Covenant. And a Covenant Ritual had five parts, so let's go through them one at a time…
“[Then the Lord] said to [Abram], ‘I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chalde’ans, to give you this land to possess.’”
[00:24:35] That sentence covers parts one and two of the Covenant Ritual. Part One - the historical introduction - explains the past relationship between God and Abram, which then becomes the basis for the Covenant: God brought Abram out of his homeland. Part Two - the promise of the Covenant - is land: God gave Abram a specific parcel of land to possess.
[00:25:04] “But [Abram] said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’”
In other words, what physical guarantee do I have? What assurances will you give me?
“[The Lord] said to [Abram], bring me a heifer three years old, a she-goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove and a young pigeon.’ And [Abram] brought [the Lord] all these things, cut them in two, and laid each half over against the other; but he did not cut the bird in two.”
This is Part Three of the Covenant Ritual - the sign of the Covenant and its ratification by both parties. The sign is based on the animals, right? Those animals serve as both a sacrifice and a warning. They are a sacrifice because, for the most part, they are important for food, which is important to human survival. They are a warning because the Covenant is sort of saying the one who breaks this Covenant will be subject to the same fate as these animals - they will be cut in two. The ratification occurs when both parties pass by the carcasses. And we hear that next…
“[W]hen birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.”
This is Abram's part of the ratification… he must pass along the halves of the slaughtered animals in order to drive away birds of prey. Now, that may seem like a strange detail to include because, after all, wouldn't scavengers normally attack a bunch of dead animals laid out like a banquet? Well, of course they would, but that's not really the point of that detail.
[00:26:55] The author is telling us that the birds of prey are not the only things that Abram needs to worry about… that truly there are many potential dangers that could threaten the Covenant.
[00:27:10] Dangers posed by outside threats, certainly, that's what the birds of prey represent. But danger from within as well - that could be posed by a lack of fidelity to the Covenant.
“As the sun was going down,”
At last we're given a hint about the time this all takes place. But when you think about it, it doesn't really help us any. It couldn't have been easy to acquire all of those animals - some may have come from Abram's own herds, but certainly not all of them. And we are given no indication of how long it took to slaughter and assemble all the animals. Abram could have worked for several hours, or he could have worked for an entire day and night. So, we still don't really know. We just know the sun was going down when this part takes place.
[00:28:01] “a deep sleep fell on Abram; and behold, a dread and great darkness fell upon him.”
[00:28:10] The DREAD AND GREAT DARKNESS may be referring to the very nature of the Covenant itself and the unforeseen consequences of the Covenant relationship. And for me it always brings to mind the story of God testing the man who is by then Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac… a time, certainly, of great darkness for Abraham.
“When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.”
That represents God ratifying the Covenant… the smoking fire pot and the flaming torch act as God's presence passing between the pieces of the carcasses. Now, we do not hear - in this passage - Part Four of the Covenant Ritual, which is a recitation of blessings and curses that are part of the Covenant - or can be part of the Covenant. They are found in verses 13 to 16, which we skip over, but basically, they describe the Israelites being enslaved in Egypt and the subsequent Exodus. Today's passage concludes with Part Five of the Covenant Ritual - the future promise - which specifies the boundaries of the land initially promised in Part Two.
“On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphra’tes.”
[00:29:53] There is a lot in this passage that is unfamiliar and quite disturbing to the modern mind. We looked at these events from the point of view of Covenant Ritual, and we now understand, perhaps a bit too well, why it's called Cutting a Covenant. And while it may be difficult to grasp, there is actually quite a bit for us to learn from this passage. We often refer to Abram as our father in faith, but we tend to forget that he wasn't always strong and decisive. We don't often see his vulnerable side, his doubts, his fears, his uncertainties. This passage shows them to us and invites us, by extension, to explore our own weaknesses, our own shortcomings, and our own failures… just like the season of Lent does. The season of Lent gives us the opportunities, the stories, the disciplines, and the quiet we need to remember God's love and faithfulness… every year.
[00:31:07] Our Responsorial Psalm this week is Psalm 91 and the refrain is:
“The LORD is my light and my salvation.”
And here are the verses:
[00:31:16] “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! My heart says to you, ‘Your face, LORD, do I seek.’ You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Cast me not off, I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD!”
[00:32:03] This Psalm is an Individual Prayer of Confidence. Surprisingly, the refrain is the same in the RSV as it is in the NAB, that isn't always the case. The confidence that the Psalmist possesses is evident throughout the verses, in all the beautiful imagery they contain: MY LIGHT, MY SALVATION, THE STRONGHOLD OF MY LIFE, THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD. The Psalm comes to a close, then, with words of encouragement: BE STRONG, LET YOUR HEART TAKE COURAGE, WAIT FOR THE LORD. Absolutely beautiful images. One other thing I want to point out, though, before we go on, is in verse 13 when the Psalmist says: IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING, it's important for us to remember that - at the time - there was no belief in individual life after death. So, if someone was to receive God's blessing, it would be during this life. The promise of earthly blessings are at the heart of the Psalmist's advice to be strong and wait for the Lord at the time. That is what would have been expected and would have been welcomed by the Psalmist.
[00:33:26] That leads us to our Second Reading, which is from the letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians 3:17 – 4:1.
“Join in imitating me, [Brothers and Sisters,] and mark those who so walk as you have an example in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my [brothers and sisters,] whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”
Saint Paul's Letter to the Philippians is one of the Captivity Letters, so named because they were written when Paul was a prisoner in Rome before his execution. The exact date of the letter is uncertain, but it was most likely written somewhere between 59 and 63 AD. Paul established the church in Philippi during his Second Missionary Journey, which lasted roughly from 49 to 53 AD and the Philippians - as you can tell from his absolutely gushing language - the Philippians remained dear to Paul throughout his life and until his death. There is a shorter version of this week's reading, so keep that in mind if you hear a somewhat abbreviated passage at your parish this weekend, but let's delve now into what Paul has to say…
“Join in imitating me, [Brothers and Sisters,] and mark those who so walk as you have an example in us.”
When Paul says: JOIN IN IMITATING ME, it may seem as if he is being quite conceited, but there's actually more to it than that. Paul is, without a doubt, telling the Philippians that he is a proper guide and model on which they can pattern their own behavior. But what makes Paul an appropriate model is that he based his behavior on the example of Jesus. Therefore, since Paul models Jesus (whom the Philippians did not see) then the Philippians can be confident in following the example given to them by Paul (whom they have seen).
“For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.”
Paul is warning the Philippians about people who are overly occupied with the concerns of this earthly life. That's what he means when he says: THEIR GOD IS THEIR BELLY and their thoughts are SET ON EARTHLY THINGS.
[00:36:59] When you boil it down, what Paul is really saying is that the things we put our greatest effort into, the things we devote most of our time to, are the things that are most important to us. If we devote our time to the things of this world, then we take our eyes off our heavenly destiny. And even when we focus on the things of this world, it's a warning to us about what we should focus on. Because if we devote our time to positive things… things like generosity, service to others, respect, justice, honesty, and integrity, that's a good thing… those are all good things, those are all Gospel values that Jesus teaches us about over and over. But if we devote our time to destructive things… things like hatred, divisiveness, dishonesty, greed, intolerance, and vengeance, then Paul says we become enemies of the cross of Christ. That's a pretty stark warning! Paul goes on…
But our commonwealth is in heaven,”
Our citizenship, our ultimate home, our destiny is in heaven.
“and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
[00:38:38] From heaven we await the Second Coming, sometimes called the Parousia, at the end of time.
“who will change our lowly body”
Our earthly body, our temporal body, subject to death and decay.
“to be like his glorious body,”
The same Transfigured Body which the disciples glimpsed atop Mount Tabor. Jesus took on human flesh in the Incarnation, certainly, but too many times I think we assume that human flesh makes him just like the rest of us... but he's not! That is a mistake we make all too often - trying to, Bishop Robert Barron calls it, domesticate Jesus. That would - in truth - be like trying to turn a wild, majestic lion into a timid house cat, or a great orca into a goldfish. Jesus is from heaven… he is of heaven… a realm, a kingdom, an existence that is far beyond earth and his Glorified Body is appropriate to that heavenly realm, just as our bodies are appropriate to this earthly realm. But, at Jesus' Second Coming, we will be changed – transformed - that is the promise in Paul's words. And Jesus will do this…
“by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
Jesus is the Lord of all… everything… all we can imagine… and everything that is even beyond our ability to comprehend - Jesus is the Lord of all.
[00:40:40] Therefore, my [brothers and sisters,] whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown,”
Paul's overwhelming affection for the Philippine community is on full display here! And he concludes this passage with…
“stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”
Paul is saying - no matter what - don't be moved, don't let anything disturb you, don't let anything shake your faith in God… not in man, not in earth… in God. Not in the things of this earth - in the good things of God. Paul assured the Philippians that their ultimate destiny lies in heaven, and so does ours, even when the world keeps making demands on us and heaven seems far away. Which is precisely why we need the season of Lent each year.
[00:41:34] It helps us turn down the volume on the world… to devote ourselves to the prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that will cleanse our hearts and minds to listen more closely to the voice of God's Chosen, his Son Jesus, so that we are prepared to receive our promised future glory.
[00:42:01] If you would like to reach out to me with questions or comments, send me an email at
[email protected]
Thank you for spending this time with me and until next we meet, may God shower His blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain and may he hold you, safe and secure, in the palm of his hand.
[00:42:21] From His Word to Our Hearts to is produced by SFS Audio Solutions.
The content of the show was assembled by me, Sally Moriarty-Flask.
Our music was composed by Jimmy Flask and is used with permission of the composer. All rights reserved.
Information regarding references used in preparing the exegesis for this podcast is available upon request.
Thank you for listening and God Bless.
