2nd Sunday of Lent, Year C (2007)
05/03/07 10:10
Homily2nd Sunday of Lent, Year C
March 4, 2007
(Children’s Mass)
Radical Faith: Super Heroes for Jesus!
Today, we’re going to talk about radical faith. Watch with me the following video clip, and see if you can tell me what movie this is, and what is happening. (Show 1 minute clip from original Spiderman movie where a spider bites the young man, then he metamorphoses into Spiderman)
What movie? Right! Spiderman. And what is happening? He is changing, after a spider bites him, from a normal person into a super hero, Spiderman.
God wants to change us, too – but not into Spiderman! God wants us to catch the faith bug, to become radically changed and transformed by Jesus so that we start a completely new and rejuvenated life that is like nothing we’ve lived before. Radical faith is about allowing God to change and transform us, so that we can start to see and hear God more clearly; we can start to see the world in a different way; we can be moved and changed so that we start to put our faith into action in radically new and creative ways in the world.
What do you see in this image? (show image of a face and an Eskimo). How many see a face? How many see an Eskimo? How many see both? (Help children see both images)
What do you see in this image? (show image of an old woman and a young woman). How many see an old woman? How many see a young woman? How many see both? (Help children see both images)
We can look at the same picture and see two different things. Life is like that, too. Some people live their life just for themselves – thinking only about having fun, about what they want in life for themselves, being selfish or self centered. God is not really a part of their lives. But other people choose to live a radical faith by letting God change them, give them a new vision and a new way of looking at things, and a new way of living. They love God with all their heart, soul, mind and being, and they try to imitate Jesus by loving other people.
What kind of life do you want? A changed life, a life of radical faith, loving and following God? Or just a regular, hum drum, ordinary life of going through the motions, but God is really not a central or key part of your life?
Repeat after me this word: TRANSFIGURATION. That’s what our gospel story is about today. This is the story of the TRANSFIGURATION. And that just means that Jesus was Transfigured, or Transformed, or Changed, as the disciples watched. Here’s a picture of the Transfiguration. This was painted by the famous artist Raphael many centuries ago – it shows Jesus being changed, or Transfigured, while the disciples watch on. But notice, here at the bottom, is a sick child. All the people are looking up, hoping God will work a miracle and heal the boy. But Raphael’s point is that we, as Christians, need to look in both directions – up to God, asking God to always be with us and to help us; but down to people who are in need, so that we can reach out and love others, and help them.
Let’s read the story together. It has two parts: The transformation, or Transfiguration, of Jesus; but then, the transformation of the disciples, too.
First part: “Jesus took Peter, James and John to a mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothing became dazzling white.” (Luke 9:34-35) Anybody know what was happening here? Jesus’ heavenly Father in heaven was showing the disciples that Jesus was the Savior of the World, the Messiah, and God’s special Son!
Second part: “A cloud came over the disciples and terror gripped them as it covered them. Then a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.’ The next day, they came down the mountain.” (Luke 9:37) Notice, at first they were afraid. And we sometimes can be afraid. It’s especially hard to follow God and to do the right thing if other people are making fun of us or trying to talk us into doing something that we know is bad or wrong. But the voice of God says to us that we need to listen to Jesus and do what he says. And notice, too, that after hearing the voice and after experiencing this change, the disciples went down the mountain – they went back into the world to take the message of Jesus to others.
How are we changed? How do we experience a life of radical faith? Put God first. That’s the beginning, first step.
Use illustration from last week, if you have not already used this illustration with the
children. Invite a few kids forward to help. Here is the illustration:
Have a large jar half filled with rice. The rice represents the routine activities of our life that keep us busy – eating, sleeping, cooking, cleaning, watching TV, going to work, shopping, studying, etc. Have a bunch of golf balls off to the side. These represent the things of God: Praying, reading the Bible, attending Mass, helping the poor, serving in a ministry, participating in a small faith community, attending a retreat, etc. The balls are bigger than the grains of rice, to show that the things of God are really the most important things of all. But most people fill their lives with the mundane necessities of life – the rice of sleep, eating, cooking, etc. – and then add God when there is extra space and time in our busy lives to crowd God in. Result: all the balls, the blessings God has for us, won’t fit because the other things – the rice – keep blocking the way. But: What happens when we make God the priority and focus first on the things of the Lord in our lives? Fill the jar first with the golf balls – this time, they all fit. Then add the rice. It all fits, too.
Our second reading today is even more specific in helping us to follow Jesus and to live a life of radical faith. Let’s read it together, piece by piece (Philippians 3:17-21):
• “Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, heading for this same goal.” (show picture of a runner crossing finish line) Paul says to imitate him and other Christians. Imitate and follow good people, not bad people, because you want to finish the race and be a winner, not a loser. God helps all of us to be winners, if we listen to him and do what he says.
• “There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times…. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s cross.” (Show image of a lamp and have a lamp with a two- or three-way lamp in it. Invite a child to turn the lamp on) Is this lamp any good if it is not plugged in? Of course not! We need our lives to be plugged into God and to God’s electricity. Now watch. First, the lamp is dark. Some people follow easy street. They completely turn away from God. Their lives are completely dark. But now, notice, the lamp can be turned on to medium power or to high power. Some people follow God a little bit – they go to church occasionally, they do what God says sometimes, but not all the time. Their life is only halfway connected to God. But now, with the lamp on full power – that’s radical faith, that’s what God wants, that our lives are shining full bright.
• “Easy street is a dead end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites. But there’s far more to life for us.” I heard a Lenten joke. Anyone here give up anything for Lent? Candy, soda pop, video games? This priest was walking down the street and a robber with a gun held him up. The priest was so nervous, with the gun pointed at his head, so the robber offered him a cigarette to calm his nerves. Now, children, it is never good to smoke, of course, but the priest was so nervous and so afraid, that he took the cigarette anyway, just to calm his nerves. But then he asked the thief, “Do you want to smoke, too?” And do you know what the thief said? He said, “No, I can’t, because I gave up smoking for Lent.” That’s an example of the light only burning half brightly. The thief had given up smoking for Lent, but he really wasn’t following God wholeheartedly, because he was still out there, robbing and hurting people. God wants our light burning full bright.
• (Show picture of a passport) “We’re citizens of high heaven. We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthly bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole.”
Look at the TV screen. What do you? Someone lifting weights! God wants us to be strong, with a radical faith. What else do you see on this screen? These are some of the ways we stay strong. First, read the Bible. How many here have a children’s Bible? Do you read it? And what is this girl doing? Right – praying. How many here pray each and every day? Praying is just talking to God! And what is this picture showing? Church, Mass. Do we go to church every single week? Because this is one of the main ways that God feeds us and keeps us strong. And this final picture, what does it show? Right, serving others! Are we kind and loving to other people?
I want to give you two gifts today. The first is a map. You can give this to your parents, too, as a gift to them. It talks about the map that helps us follow God in our lives. It’s in English and Spanish, because some of your parents like Spanish more than English, but today, let’s read it together in English:
DIRECTIONS TO OUR FATHER’S HOUSE
Make a right turn onto Believeth Boulevard.
Keep straight and go through the green light, which is Jesus Christ.
There, you must turn onto the Bridge of Faith, which is over troubled water.
When you get off the bridge, make a right turn and keep straight.
You are on the King’s Highway – Heaven-bound.
Keep going for three miles – one for the Father, one for the Son, and one for the Holy Spirit.
Then exit onto Grace Boulevard.
Make a right turn on Gospel Lane.
Keep straight, then make a right on Prayer Road.
Do not yield to the traffic on Temptation Avenue.
Also, avoid Sin Street, because it is a dead end.
Pass up Envy Drive and Hate Avenue.
Also, pass Hypocrisy Street, Gossip Lane and Backbiting Boulevard.
However, you have to go down Long-Suffering Lane, Persecution Boulevard and Trials and Tribulations Avenue.
But that’s all right, because VICTORY Street is straight ahead.
SEND THESE DIRECTIONS TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
SO THEY WILL NOT GET LOST.
Life is God’s gift to you. They way you live it is your gift to God.
LAS DIRECCIONES A LA CASA DEL PADRE
Mano derecho en la Calle Creer.
Mantenga derecho y atraviese el semáforo verde, que es Jesucristo.
Allí, entra al Puente de la Fe, que pasa arriba del Río de Problemas.
Cuándo salga del puente, mano derecho. Siga adelante.
Ya está en la Carretera del Rey, con destino del Cielo.
Derecho para tres millas – uno para el Padre, uno para el Hijo, y uno para el Espíritu Santo. Salga en la Calle de Gracia. Mano derecho en la Calle de los Evangelios.
Derecho en el Camino de la Oración.
No rinda al tráfico en la Avenida de la Tentación.
Tampoco en la Calle del Pecado, porque es un callejón sin salida.
Tampoco toma la Calle de la Envidia, la Avenida del Odio, la Calle de la Hipocresía,
la Avenida de Chismes y Mentiras, y la Calle de Falsedades y Asaltos.
Sin embargo, tiene que manejar en la Calle de los Sufrimientos,
la Calle de la Persecución y la Avenida de Aflicciones.
Pero eso es bueno, porque la Calle de la VICTORIA está directamente adelante.
ENVIA ESTAS DIRECCIONES A SUS AMIGOS Y A LA FAMILIA,
PARA QUE ELLOS NO ANDAN PERDIDOS.
La vida es un regalo de Dios. La manera en que vivimos es nuestro regalo a Dios.
My second gift to you is a piece of candy, which you can take home with you after we finish our Mass today. (Show miniature candies – Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, etc.) What do these pieces of candy have in common? Right, they all are chocolate. But what is different about them? The inside!
All of us are, basically, the same on the inside – but different on the inside. God loves us. We are all “sweet” to God. But it’s really what is on the inside that makes all the difference – is God inside of us, leading us in our lives? Or are we not following God on the inside?
One final video, and one final image.
(Show video clip – less than one minute from first “Superman” movie as Lois Lane falls from skyscraper and Clark Kent changes into Superman and flies up to save her) Just as Clark Kent changes into Superman in this video, God can change us – on the inside – into super heroes for Jesus Christ.
Last image: The face of Christ. (Show icon “In His Image” by artist William Zdinak) But notice that in this image, or icon, the face of Jesus is made up of the faces of lots of people. We make up the face of Jesus in the world!
Do we want to let Jesus change us into Super Heroes for Jesus? Do we want our lives to be bright lights for God? Do we want to say “yes” to God and live lives of radical faith? Let’s sing together this last song:
I SAY YES, MY LORD/ DIGO SI, SEÑOR
To the God who cannot die, I say Yes, My Lord (repeat)
To the God who hears my cry, I say Yes, My Lord (repeat)
To the God of the oppressed, I say Yes, My Lord (repeat)
To the God of all justice, I say Yes, My Lord (repeat)
I say Yes, My Lord,
In all the good times, through all the bad times.
I say Yes, My Lord,
To every word you speak.
Soy serviente del Señor, Digo si, Señor (repite)
Y trabajo en los campos, Digo si, Señor (repite)
Soy prisionero de sus guerras, Digo si, Señor (repite)
Como politico, inderrotable. Digo si, Señor (repite)
Digo si, Señor,
En tiempos malos, en tiempos Buenos.
Digo si, Señor,
A todo lo que hablas.
For the dream I have today, I say Yes, My Lord (repeat)
To be a healer of all pain, I say Yes, My Lord (repeat)
And to come to love my enemies, I say Yes, My Lord (repeat)
For your peace in all the world, I say Yes, My Lord (repeat)