Just like the disciples, every follower of Jesus needs a "mountain-top" experience of light and of closeness to the Lord to get them through life's difficult and painful moments, Pope Benedict XVI said. Celebrating a morning Mass March 4 at the Church of St. John Baptist de la Salle in a Rome suburb and reciting the Angelus at midday with visitors at the Vatican, Pope Benedict commented on the day's Gospel account of the Transfiguration. Jesus told his disciples that he would have to suffer and die, but they did not understand him and, in fact, they objected to the idea, the pope told the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Angelus. "For this reason, Jesus took three of them up the mountain and revealed his divine glory, the splendor of truth and love. Jesus wanted this light to illuminate their hearts when they would pass through the thick darkness of his passion and death, when the scandal of the cross would be insupportable for them," the pope said. "All of us need interior light to overcome the trials of life," he said. "This light comes from God, and it is Christ who gives it to us." If you have had a mountain top experience, you are armed with the tools to make a difference for others. Don't hide that experience but allow God to use you because of it. Share it with others, especially those who are hurting, depressed, or lonely. St. Paul tells us that we can plant and water but only God can grow. Are you planting the seeds of faith in others? Are you bringing people to God's church? Are you bringing people to God through your actions? Lent is always a good time to begin a new habit. I am praying that those with illuminated hearts will share the light with those who have not said yes to God yet.
The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...
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