Be Transfigured Ministries

Rejecting Christmas

In the days following Christmas, many people wait in long lines to exchange the gifts they received for Christmas. Many exchange their gifts merely because they wanted something different, rejecting the original gift. Just as Herod rejected the original gift of Christmas by killing 14,000 innocent children, many times WE reject Christmas by killing our neighbors with harsh words and thoughts. Has Christmas changed the way you live, or have you rejected Christmas?

What is Righteousness?

Just days before Christmas, the Church invites us to consider the righteousness of Abraham and Joseph the betrothed of Mary. These two holy ancestors of God lived their life dedicated and loyal to the promise of God, despite the reality they never set their eyes on God’s promise. The Birth of God ushers in the beginning of God’s fulfillment for an end to death and beginning of a new eternal life in Christ. Though Abraham and Joseph never witnessed the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom, we too may not witness the fullness of the Kingdom, but we are called to be righteous. God will fulfill His promise, and our willingness to embrace the righteousness of Abraham and Joseph, will prepare us to receive the fullness of God’s eternal comfort and love. Do YOU what it takes to be righteous this Christmas?

Excuses....Excuses....Excuses

We have all heard them, and we have all used them. Excuses are a convenient way for us to “get out of” doing something we don’t want to do, or going somewhere we don’t want to go. But when God invites you to join Him, it’s time to put the excuses aside and join Him. Don’t be left behind when the ship sails, just because you have an excuse. Otherwise, you will hear the Lord say, “None of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.” Don’t watch the ship sail away on the horizon. Put your excuses aside and live the life Christ has for you in His Church.

Your Sins are Forgiven

It goes without saying that the trials of life can weigh a person down. As every day passes, the weight of each small sin and mistake, takes its toll on our backs as we feel our burdens heavy upon our shoulders. Bent over under all the pressure, we just can’t seem to find the strength to look up at God and sing His praise. We may even be ashamed by some of our decisions in life, and we can’t lift ourselves up without God’s healing touch. We all enjoy hearing the words, “Your sins are forgiven,” from our Lord, and we all desire even more the healing touch of our Lord’s hand. Thankfully He has given us His Church and the Holy Sacraments through which we can feel His touch, and through the hands of our Father Confessor, we can not only feel God’s Grace, we can hear the words, “Your sins are forgiven,” and we can finally lift our eyes to God and give Him praise and thanks.

Come and See....There is Good News on the Horizon

When the Apostle Andrew saw Jesus Christ for the first time, he couldn’t help but run to his brother Simon Peter and tell him the Good News. “We have seen the Messiah!” The Apostles joyfully spread the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the world, even though their personal lives were filled with pain and suffering. Each of the Apostles, with the exception of Saint John the Theologian was martyred for sharing the Good News. Sometimes we wonder....is the news really good? Just like the lives of the Holy Apostles, our lives are filled with pain and suffering, and we might wonder why Saint Paul told us to imitate him. The truth is that God has saved us from this pain and suffering and promised a NEW life with Him in Heaven. We haven’t been saved for this world; we have been saved from this world. All our pain and suffering is temporary. There’s Good News on the horizon; Come and See!

Trust Leads to Peace

In the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12.16-21) we witness the result of a life void of peace. Rather than trusting that God would provide for his family, the rich farmer panicked, tore down his already filled barns and was about to build new larger barns when God called him. When we are unable to trust in God’s willingness or abilities to provide for the needs of our family, we run the risk of living in fear rather than peace. God has given us numerous reasons to trust Him, even offering us the chance to test our trust in Him. This week’s episode offers a chance to learn to trust God, and experience for yourself, that trust leads to peace.

Being Convicted by the Gospel

The Gospel of Christ is a comfort to sinners but can convict the righteous. The invitation of Christ for all sinners to join Him at the Table, is a comfort to when acknowledge our sinfulness, but it is should also convict us to repentance. Christ has given us His Church as therapy to draw closer to Jesus Christ, yet many who claim to believe, do not embrace the way of life in the Church. If you truly desire to draw closer to God, then be comforted that He has welcomed you to His Table, but be convicted and embrace the way of life He has given to you for repentance. Draw near to God.

Suffering

Why does God allow suffering? Everyone knows firsthand that people suffer, but do they have to suffer to be “good” Christians? What’s so wrong with trying to avoid suffering? Why not strive for a life without suffering? While everyone experiences suffering, nobody enjoys it, but God blesses it especially when we endure it patiently with faith and prayer. With the story of the healing of the woman with the flow of blood and the raising of Jairus’ daughter as our “backdrop”, this week’s episode of Be Transfigured will look at suffering and why God allows it and but rarely allows miracles.

Avoiding the Torment of Hell

Nobody can deny that we will all eventually die, so it should be no surprise that Our Lord has provided many opportunities for us to better understand what we should expect. One example of how we learn about our eternal future is through parables. In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus found in the Gospel of Luke 16.19-31, Christ helps us to see that the condition of our heart will have a direct impact on how we will experience eternity with Him. If we want to avoid the torment of hell described for the rich man, we must learn to see others with love and compassion, but time is clicking. We have only until we die to change our hearts. We must take full advantage of every opportunity for our hearts to learn to love others by serving the poor with love and compassion. If we continue with a cold and selfish heart, our eternal future will be consumed with torment.

God Wants You to be a Martyr

In a day when our world is frantically searching wealth and honor, Christians are daily called to choose between worldly priorities and a Godly life. Your willingness to live the faith of Christ through the choices of your life reflects the importance of God in your life, and will be a witness of your faith to those around you. You are a living martyr when you allow others to see your commitment to Christ in your choices, and your martyrdom will draw others to Christ in the same way martyrs drew believers to Christ. Are you willing, or even wanting, to allow your choices to be a martyr for Christ?