“We should see the Lord and find in him our hope and the direction of our lives. That is our time on the mountain.”---Bishop Deeley

February 28, 2021

PORTLAND---A bright and beautiful Maine morning on which to enjoy his first snowshoeing excursion this week brought respite and a new perspective on the Gospel of Mark to Bishop Robert Deeley, who celebrated Mass on the Second Sunday of Lent at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland.

“It is certainly a little slower than skiing, but it is a good exercise, and a wonderful excuse to be outside and enjoying the winter air,” Bishop Deeley told the in-person assembly and the large gathering participating via livestream on Sunday. “There would be darkness in one moment and, as the clouds parted, the sun would brilliantly light up the snow-covered ground. That winter sun is a particular gift of our climate here in Maine. Here in Maine, the morning after a snowstorm, we are often blessed with a bright sunny morning which makes the snow shine.”

That brightness emerging from the change of darkness to light was on the bishop’s mind as he reflected upon Sunday’s Gospel reading (Mk 9:2-10) in which Jesus’ transfiguration strengthens the apostles’ faith in anticipation of his Passion, revealing to them in a powerful way the divine hand that is at work in the events Jesus will undergo.

“It’s that brightness that I think of when Jesus’ appearance is described, “his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them,’” said the bishop. “He is joined by three of the disciples. Jesus brings the disciples to the mountain to pray with him, but while he is praying, something else happens. Jesus is revealed as transfigured. His very appearance is changed. The disciples see him almost as in a vision. His clothes are whiter than white, and they see Jesus filled with light.”

These moments on the mountain, a place frequently associated with being closer to God in Scripture, were meant to prepare them.

“Jesus wanted to have in their minds a vision of his glory so that the experience of his degradation on the cross would not completely undermine their faith in him,” said the bishop. “But there is a further part of the story. Suddenly, from the brightness of a luminous Jesus, brighter in appearance than the snow, the disciples find themselves in a cloud. There is darkness above them. And from that cloud comes a voice: ‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.’  It is the Father, it is the voice of God. The Father speaks here not only to the disciples but to us. Listen to Jesus. It is he who will show you the way. This, for us, is the Lenten message of God. We are called to be people who listen to Jesus’ voice and take his words seriously. They provide meaning for our lives and teach us how to live.”
Recalling this moment when they encountered Jesus as the Son of God gave the apostles hope as it reminded them of Jesus’ promises to them.

“It is the same for us. As we renew our relationship with the Lord in prayer, we find ourselves at peace. We can more easily deal with the challenges of this difficult period of pandemic, or any of the darkness of life, when we know that Jesus is with us, walking with us, caring for us in all things, and helping us to be kind to others,” said the bishop.

Lent is a time to renew that relationship with Jesus and grow in appreciation of God’s care and love. Whether wearing snowshoes or not, the days of Lent offer moments to experience the Lord’s bright presence in our hearts and light on our paths.

“We should see the Lord and find in him our hope and the direction of our lives. That is our time on the mountain,” said the bishop. “When we hear the Word of Jesus, we carry it in our hearts. We are people who know ourselves as loved. We want to share the good word we have heard with others. Knowing of God’s care for us in Jesus, his Son and our Lord is our hope and our direction and our light. May these days of Lent deepen within us an appreciation of the light Jesus brings us.”