March 13th, by Alvin Navarrete: Director of the Way Retreat Center

March 13, 2022
Gn 15:5-12, 17-18/ PS 27/ Lk 9:28-36
Alvin Navarrete: Director of the Way Retreat Center

In today’s Scripture readings they seem to have a common theme of “Seeing”. We first hear of
Abram being told by God to “look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can” and added “so
shall your descendants be”. It is strange that God would ask Abram to look up and count the
stars seeing that as we read further that the time of day when God asked was before sunset
making it hard to see any stars. Abram however trusted God that the stars were actually in the
sky just not seen by him at this point. This is poignant because Abram had no sons to carry on
his lineage so at the time of God telling him that his descendants would be as numerous as the
stars in the sky, he could not see that God was giving him a son. The theme of seeing is further
represented in the Psalm reading where it states “the Lord is my light and my salvation” another
reference to seeing because of the trusting the Lord to be our light. In the Gospel we read of how
Jesus took Peter, John, and James up to the mountain to pray and once at the top of the mountain
praying “Jesus’ face changed in appearance and his clothes became dazzling white” and behold
before them appeared Moses and Elijah speaking of his exodus. Again, we see how Peter, John
and James were able to see Jesus in all his glory along with seeing Moses and Elijah, and able to
hear God saying “this is my Son: listen to him”. They were shown the true glory of Jesus the
Son of God, thus seeing God’s glory.
In the readings of today we hear of a common theme of “seeing” so I feel that God is asking us
to look up and see those wonderful treasures he has instore. Just like Abram we might not be
able to see what God has planned for us right now but eventually like Peter, John and James we
will be shown his glorious plans for us, we just have to trust Him. Too often we are quick to say
“I can’t see it” or “I can’t see what this means” , today we are being asked to trust in God and He
will open our eyes to truly see!