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March 1, 2026Genesis 12:1-4a
2 Timothy 1:8b-10
Matthew 17:1-9St. Francis of Assisi University Parish, Tuscaloosa, AL
Dominican Vocations VisitII Lent Sunday (A)
3/1/26I haven’t been able to find it, but (when I still lived in Mexico) I remember a smartphone commercial that had an insightful hidden message. It featured the *new* ability to take pictures and to share them on Facebook directly from your phone! They said something like this: ‘When you come across something you love, you can’t wait to share it with others!’ I knew they were trying to sell a phone b/c of this new feature, but I was also deeply intrigued by the premise of their claim: that when you come across something so important to you, the natural thing is to share it with others!
I think there’s a kernel of truth in that statement! When we experience something that is truly good, we cannot sit still and hoard it for ourselves—at least not naturally. Whenever we hoard goods for ourselves/not to be shared—we’re falling into an unnatural response: such as the one the disciples of Jesus had up the high mountain, when they saw Jesus transfigured chatting with Moses and Elijah. ‘Let’s stay here! This is good enough for all six of us!’ I suggest that this is the Devil’s constant temptation when we find the good; he can’t take it away from us, so he wants to make it rot for us.
The enemy’s temptation is that we sit still and do nothing. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit convicts us to share it with others/the Holy Spirit moves us to go beyond! The enemy will tempt us by instilling fear in us that, if we share the good that we have just found, it will run out! Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Meanwhile, the Spirit promises us that He will always provide/that what is good comes from an inexhaustible well. It is an act of faith to act on the Spirit’s conviction and promise.
It is the faith that we see in our father Abraham, when the Lord called Abram out from the land of [his] kinsfolk and from [his] father’s house to a land that [God would show him]. Abram is conversing with God/God sees him as His own friend—and all that the Lord tells him is: Go… to a land that I will show you. No map, or directions, or even a destination. Just: ‘Go, trust me, I will guide you.’ This is an ongoing struggle, especially around discernment of any kind. ‘Where, Lord? Just tell me what you want me to do!’ The Lord says, ‘I will show you, just trust me.’
To some, the Lord grants special knowledge of their vocation well in advance, but the details often remain obscured that we may not rely on ourselves. I am here visiting as one whom the Lord has called to become a preacher—a Friar in the Order of Preachers. Growing up, I was one of the quietest kids in school, and I’m still an introvert! Not exactly whom you would think would become a preacher of the Gospel. But then, we hear words like what St. Paul wrote to Timothy: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.
The Lord calls us out of our comfort zones into only God-knows-where, but He will always remain faithful to us, for He cannot deny Himself. He will always supply what we need to carry out His mission. I wonder what Peter, James, and John thought they were going up the mountain for: ‘Finally, we get to see Jesus at prayer!’ And they would’ve been right! But, there was so much more: When the Lord reveals Himself, He reveals His glory. Peter, James, and John saw Light itself! They were given a medicine to remember in those moments of trial/when they would face their own suffering, that their faith would not fail.
How many of us have not experienced those moments of Light, where the Lord surprises us with a deep consolation? A personal Transfiguration moment to help us remember the Lord’s fidelity to us/that He never abandons us/that He continually fills our faith. And yet, the world’s temptation is too loud sometimes. The devil tempts us to do the unnatural: To hide the Good News, while the Lord has sent us to share them with all! The evil one tempts us that I could not possibly be called to share my faith with others/to minister in the Church/to become a preacher! But that’s what the Lord was preparing Peter, James, and John for – to share the faith He gave them!
God didn’t give Abram or the apostles step-by-step directions of everything they’d do, and I’d say things turned out pretty well. Why? B/c they knew exactly what the Lord was asking of them? No. But b/c they trusted/they remained close to God—bringing the light of glory to the darkness of the world.
As a Dominican Friar, my vocation is to preach the Gospel at all times—to use words carefully/to live my life carefully, so as to preach the Gospel of salvation/of joy/of healing/of mercy. God knows He didn’t call Peter, James, John, Fr. Carlos to their ministry b/c they were holy, nor did Abram answered the Lord’s call b/c he knew exactly where the Lord was leading him. Nope. The Lord calls sinners that He might show them His mercy—that He might show His mercy through them. The sinners’ answer to God is an act of faith.
This is true for all Christians, but (as a Dominican Promoter of Vocations) I am here, especially, to encourage you to utilize this time of Lent wisely. Lent is not a time of waiting – it’s a time of preparation in action. Discernment takes work and making decisions. The preparation requires us to be open to the faith the Lord gives us in listening attentively to Him. It means that we must weed-out the voices telling us that we need to have everything figured out before even taking one step in vocational discernment. (No, I’m not telling you to be imprudent, but to have faith.)
And, even if you’re not discerning a lifelong vocation, we’re all still supposed to be listening to the Lord’s invitation. ‘When you come across something you love, you can’t wait to share it with others!’ Do I love God and His Church so much that I can’t wait/I can’t help myself but to share that love with others? Take these weeks to pray and listen for what the Lord wants to do through your life in the sharing of His Gospel.