Father Augustine Mang - March 1

Living Real: If we look at our life, we are all in a journey. We are pilgrims. We are in our pilgrimage. This world is not our home, not our destiny. We are guests here on earth. As we go from our earthly city, we are on a journey to our heavenly city. It really makes a difference and it really reminds this Lenten season is a special reminder too that we are pilgrims. are in that pilgrimage. That's why we said that on Ash Wednesday, remember that you are dust to dust, you shall return. On our second Sunday of Lent, the reading that we hear today, all the readings are pointing out to that. from a place to another place. In our first reading, God asked Abram from where he is to where he's leading. Abram did not know where he's gonna go, but God says, will make you a great nation. I'll make your name great. will bless those who bless you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you. God says, people, you are blessed, but you must come out of where you are to the place that I am preparing, to the place that I am going to lead you. In this Lenten season, brothers and sisters, God is asking each and every one of you, each and every one of us, I know where you are at. You might find secure comfort because you have been in your life where you are at for long time. It's not a bad place. I know it is a good place. But I have something better for you. Come out of where you are. So that I may show you where I'm leading you. Many times it can be scary. Many times it is not how we intended how our life is about. We must have the same kind of faith and trust Abraham had in God. To really trust and willing to go where God is inviting you, where God is leading you, where he has your future for. The same way to in the Gospel, Jesus Christ led Peter, James and John to a high mountain. In that sense, Jesus is also leading the apostles that lead these two apostles from a lower place to a higher mountain. In this Lenten season, God wants to raise you up from your sinfulness to holiness. But whenever you go for hiking, especially hiking up on the mountain, it is difficult. You cannot bring everything with you. You must choose what you're going to bring with you. You can only bring a backpack. You cannot bring a suitcase. You cannot bring anything or everything that you have in your life. No, you have to let them go, leave behind, but pack. only what is necessary for the journey. So we can learn from that. God is leading you. God wants to bring you from the lower place to the higher mountain where Jesus transfigured. And Jesus also wants to have that transfiguration in your life. He wants to transform you. But we must be willing to go to that high mountain. Therefore, brothers and sisters, ask yourself in your life, what kind of backpack are you carrying? Are you journeying on the high mountain with your luggage or with a backpack? Or even if a backpack, what are the things that you're going to bring in your backpack? You can only bring what is necessary. You cannot bring what you want. but only what is necessary for the journey. Therefore, let us ask, we can only bring what is necessary for our salvation. There are many things that we carry in our life which are not necessary for our salvation. What are those? You have to examine in your life what are the things that are not necessary for your salvation that you have been carrying. all your life. The Lord is asking the journey is high, the journey is long, only bring what is necessary for your salvation. If you do not let go of all the things that you have been carrying right now, you will be burdened, you will be tired because of the burden of everything that you are carrying right now. If you do not pay attention, if you do not want to let them go, what happens? Those things The same thing that you're carrying, will try to pull you down rather than going up. Many people give up in the middle of their journey. Many people stop trying to progress in their spiritual life. They start their journey from that lower, at the basement, at the beginning of that mountain, they start journeying. Many people give up. two-thirds, one-third of the mountain. Many people give up in the middle. Many people are always almost there, but they give up and do not want to continue. The Lord is asking each and every one of us. Our journey is different. As God called Abram, as God called each and every one of us, as we have to go to that mountain, wherever you are at, we are in different situation. We are in different level in that mountain. But we must keep on moving. to our journey, where you are at in that mountain. Are you feeling like you want to give up? Are you feeling like you are so tired in this journey? The Lord says, what are you bringing in your backpack? And then as God promised to Abram, he will be with us. He will bless us. He will give all the grace that you need. You just have to willing and have faith and trust. And we must journey we must travel light in our journey to our holiness.