Second Sunday of Lent, March 1, 2026

The first time I seriously thought about priesthood as an adult was when I was a freshman in college. I had just experienced a tremendous spiritual consolation from prayer in my dorm room and I received a sense that I was supposed to be a priest. 

At the time, I didn’t know what a priest did. I just felt like I was called to it. I didn’t even think I was capable. I didn’t know what I was capable of. I just felt this desire.


I felt so strongly about it that I decided to call the priest who handled seminary applications. I remember I was so scared that my hand was shaking.


…To my relief, the priest was out of the office, so I hung up and didn’t call back for three years.


So, about three years later, when I was a senior in college, I remember praying in front of Jesus in the Eucharist. I bowed my head and prayed in desperation for guidance saying, “Jesus, I will do whatever you want me to do, just let me know what it is and I’ll do it.” And, in that moment, I felt this tremendous feeling of love, which was the same feeling I felt in my dorm room. This time, I realized all my fear about the priesthood was gone. In fact, I was pumped. I was excited. 


So, I made that phone call again to that priest without any fear and with great confidence…I realized, something happened in me. Jesus gave me what I needed. 


And I remember telling my brother about it. And he said, “Yeah, you’re having a spiritual high. That’ll go away.” I thought, “Oh, gee. Thanks.” And it did go away, actually, quite quickly after he said that.


But I never forgot that moment. I knew it was real and I knew that it changed me and it propelled me to where God wanted me to go.


…In today’s Gospel, Jesus’ three Apostles were also experiencing a tremendous spiritual high: this amazing vision, hearing words spoken by God the Father, and seeing Jesus interact with Moses and Elijah. 


And we hear of Peter wanting to pitch a tent. He wanted to stay in this amazing moment. But only moments later, Jesus is walking them down the mountain, not because Jesus doesn’t want us to enjoy such moments, but because those moments are not meant to last, rather, they’re meant to strengthen us; to give us courage to do what God wants, and to give us endurance when things get tough.


And so they go down the mountain with this beautiful experience in their hearts and memory, meant to propel them through their discipleship with Jesus, through the passion, through their own ministry, and through the suffering that would come. 


And, I have to think that, when they were going through difficult times, they looked back on that moment on the mountain, and they realized how Jesus had already given them what they needed to get through their difficulties.


…The same is true for you. God gives you what you need when you need it. 


We shouldn’t be chasing spiritual highs, but they come when God wills them and when we’re open. They remind us that what we believe is actually real, not just an idea in our head, but something true. And the experience of a spiritual high strengthens us; gives us courage to do what God wants, and give us endurance when things get tough.

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