"It's good that we are here..."

These were the words of Peter as he stood on the mountain with James and John and witnessed the Transfiguration of our Lord. I love the gospel reading about the Transfiguration. For the most part this is because I was born on August 6^th which is when the church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration. Each year as I celebrate my birthday I always listen to this gospel story and think about my life.

As I heard the gospel yesterday, I was serving Mass at my home parish, St. Thomas Aquinas in College Station. Even before the Mass as I entered the church and began to pray, I could not help but think to myself, “it is good to be here.” For those of you who have seen it, you know how special the crucifix in the sanctuary of the church is. I love to go in the church, sit down, and stare up at the crucifix. I tend to get lost in prayer and am oblivious to the people around me. It usually isn’t long before someone comes up to say hello and welcome me home. I usually return the greeting and then turn back to the cross.

This weekend was just one of those weekends where everything seemed to come together. I have never felt more at home than I did this weekend. I am surrounded by friends, family, former co-workers, and some other people that are very special to me. When I am around these people, it is easy for me to see the glory of God. The world is transfigured into a place where I can see the hand of God working in my life. It is all so clear and easy to see. However, it’s not always like that is it?

Like most people, there are times in my life when I question the things that seem so fundamental to my existence. I question what it is that God wants me to do with my life. I question my behavior at times and wonder if I could have handled certain situations better. I have made career changes. I have bought and sold my possessions. I have moved away from friends several times only to be blessed with more relationships while maintaining the old (albeit in a different way). However, there are times when you wonder if you are getting it right. There are times when I question my decisions and wonder if I got it all wrong. Like most of you, I have doubts from time to time. I think anyone who is willing to take off the masks that we wear from time to time and really look at their lives will experience some doubt every now and then.

Despite the doubts from time to time, there are almost always moments of great clarity that come through prayer. Yesterday was one of those times of clarity. As I prayed during communion, I looked around the church and again thought to myself, “It is good to be here.” I was thinking to myself, “How did I end up here? How did this place end up being my home?” You see, I came to College Station twelve and a half years ago to attend college. I had no plans of staying here. I did not have any family here. After college, my friends moved away and got married. I made new friends, started and finished one career, and eventually took steps towards discovering my call to seminary. Objectively it makes no sense why these people that I was watching come forward for communion would become my family. I realized that for me, my home is in the Church. Everything just seemed to make sense in those moments of prayer. I felt at home. Like Peter, I wanted to pitch three tents and stay a while. I wanted to stay on top of that mountain and never come down. And yet, I knew that my stay would be short. While I don’t mean to relate seminary to the cross, to be honest, it can be a cross at times. It can be a cross the same way a job, family issues, financial issues, etc can be a cross in your life. Many times we simply do not want to come down the mountain and face them. However, I have come to learn that it is in those moments of the cross that we are able to show our love for God the most.

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that God is constantly offering us opportunities to be on top of the moment and witness his glory in all its majesty. We have to take the time though to recognize them and to enjoy them. It is the strength and consolation that we get in those moments that allows us to go out and love and serve the Lord in our love and service to our brothers and sisters.

This morning I was given another gift by being able to sit and have breakfast with my best friend and his young daughter. While I miss being able to hang out with him as often as I would like, there is something special about seeing a dad and his daughter spend time with each other. To be honest, I wanted to pitch a few tents again and live in that moment for a while. Any of you who have had children know that there is a limited shelf life though to the happiness and cooperation of an eighteen month old before a nap is needed.

I am sitting here in a coffee shop in College Station relaxing before I meet a friend for lunch. I have a busy couple of days ahead meeting with different people and visiting friends before I move on to Austin for a few days. Next weekend, I will be in Kyle, TX visiting a parish and giving a talk on vocations after communion. I will return Sunday night to seminary close to midnight. So, while it will be time to come down off the mountain soon enough, I think I will just sit here at the top for a while and take in the dazzling white view of the glory of God.

Pax Tecum,

Tom