When was the last time you saw God's glory?

This second Sunday of Lent gives us the Gospel passage about the transfiguration.  Wouldn't that be something...to see God's glory...in dazzling, blinding light!

Our celebrant at Mass this morning started his homily with the question, "When was the last time you saw God's glory?"  

Hmmm....I thought to myself, I don't know that I ever have...at least not like we just heard in the Gospel.  What came to my mind first was the memory of our  snowstorm this past Wednesday and Thursday.  When the sun finally came out and lit up the landscape, it was rather blinding.  That was sort of an image of dazzling white, much like it says Jesus' clothes became while he was praying.  

But the glory of God is so much more.

In the bible it seems to produce the response of fright most often because it is just too overwhelming.   We don't know what to say.  Those types of manifestations of God have been few and far between for me.   I would venture to guess that it is the same for 99.9% of people who call themselves Christians.  God's preferred method seems to be subtlety.  Which I suppose is a good thing or we'd all be running around building tents (like Peter wanted to do).    God knows how easily frightened I am, I can be grateful he's a little sneaky.

view from my monastic 'cell'

I experienced his subtle glory when I heard robins and cardinals singing the past couple of days.  It's not necessarily unusual for this time of year but it's 20 degrees outside with snow on the ground!  What I like about birds is they follow the rhythms built into their DNA.  It is as if they say to themselves, "If I'm supposed to be in Clyde, MO in February and getting ready for spring, then that is where I will be, whether it feels like winter of not."

I experienced his subtle glory in the sunrise this morning.   I'm fortunate to have a bedroom that faces east so I can catch the first rays.

I experience his subtle glory taking a walk in the snow with a full moon overhead.

God's glory doesn't have to always be dazzling.  But we do have to have the proper eyes to see.  I hope you see God's glory in abundance this coming week!