Be Transfigured Ministries

Faith over Fear

When it comes to dealing with the difficulties of life, it can be very easy to lose focus on Christ. It happened to Saint Peter, as we hear in the Gospel story of St Peter Walking on Water (Matthew 14.22-34) and it can happen to us. The solution is the same. We need to remain focused on Christ, and He will always hold our hand and keep us from sinking in the storm. He will walk with us, but He will not force Himself on us. He is waiting for us to call to Him, “Lord, save me.”

Time with God

We live in a life preoccupied with busyness. Even when we are in Church, our minds wander to the busy things we must accomplish. In the story of Martha and Mary hosting Christ in their home, found in Luke 10.38-42, Christ reminds us of what is important. The important thing is that we find time to spend time with God, and to sit and listen to Him in His Church. We have to find time every day, not just on Sundays, to spend time with God in prayer.

Our Body and Soul Need God

One day when Jesus was in His own town, a paralytic was brought to Him for healing, but instead of healing the man, Jesus forgave his sins. The people who were watching became angry and accused Jesus of blasphemy, rather than being glad the man’s sins were forgiven. The people were hyper-focused on physical health, but had forgot, that our body AND our soul need God. They were unable to see the grace and love of God, but God knew what they needed, so He also healed the man’s body from paralysis. God will always give us what we need, but we must never forget that our body AND our soul need God to be completely healed, so that we can live with God.

Called to Holiness

The Feast of All Saints reminds us that we are all called to be saints and a life of holiness. We are called to love God more than anything else in the world, more than our family or friends or any single thing on earth. As fallen human beings we spend each day tempted to focus on ourselves rather than focus on God. Holiness isn’t easy, but Christ blesses our willingness to take up the cross of Christian life, which is embodied in the life of the Church. The life of prayer, fasting, taking care of those in need, and constantly participating in the sacraments of the Church, are all meant to help us learn to love God more than anything else.

The Truth of God is Unity with God

The Feast of Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Holy Disciples and the Church, the day on which the Church was guided into all Truth. Christ said, “I am the Truth!” (John 14.6) and the Church has been given the great gift to live a life in unity with the Truth, Who is Christ. It was the Holy Spirit who open the eyes of the Holy Apostles into the fullness of the Truth, as promised by Christ before He ascended the Holy Cross. It is time we lived as if we believed the Truth of Christ, and live as if we are actually in unity with God.

Hope is Restored

In the story of the Healing of the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda, we encounter a man who had lost hope in being healed after 38 years of waiting. Meeting him at the pool, Christ asked Him if he wanted to be healed. “I have no man….” showing just how much he had lost hope. What the man didn’t know, but we know, is that Christ was the man he was waiting for to be healed. Christ has restored our hope, and we are called to be “the hope” for others as the Body of Christ.

Great Faith Leads to Communion

The Sunday of the Myrrh Bearing Women teaches of the great faith of women in our lives. It was the faith of the women that brought the first Good News of the Resurrection to the Disciples. It was the faith of the women that helped build every Church. It is great faith in the power of the Resurrection of Christ that leads us to being in Communion with God. It is great faith in the power of God to protect us and provide what we need to believe in Him.

Our King

Unlike the kings and queens of today, our King doesn’t just sit on a distant throne. He leads us into battle against the devil from within our hearts. Our King doesn’t enter in glory surrounded by military guards but enters into our hearts with humility. Our King never leaves our side but invites us to join Him physically forever united to Him. Our King has redefined what it means to be King and the True King of Peace. Today, Palm Sunday, we celebrate our King Who ushers in the final battle for our souls, and to free us from oppression.

Don't Worry about Your Seat

Just days before Christ was to enter in Jerusalem, He shared with His disciples what was about to happen. Rather than feeling the blessing they had experienced with Christ, they were worried about what seats they were going to get in heaven. Christ teaches us through this story that we must stop worrying about what seat we will enjoy in heaven, and instead to serve others in love, without trying to always be the center of attention.

It is not a Sin to be Weak

In the Gospel lesson for the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent (Mark 9.17-31), we hear about a father who brought his son to Christ to be healed saying, “I believe, help my unbelief.” God fulfilled his belief, given the father the strength he needed to understand that he needed God’s help. God helps us, but we cannot just sit and wait for God ‘do it’ by Himself. There is still something we must do to work with God because we are coworkers. When the Disciples asked why they couldn’t heal the son, Christ said, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9.29) When we work with God, our ‘part’ is prayer and fasting.