Today we hear about the power of an encounter with Jesus. Peter, James and John encounter Jesus and he changes their lives.  Two big things happen because of this encounter with Jesus.  First, they began to see Jesus everywhere.  Second, they began to hear Jesus everywhere.

It’s the same with our encounters with Jesus!  Our bible readings, spiritual retreats or conferences, meals with friends of family, time in the nature, our exercising of the sacraments, and so on….these are encounters with Jesus.  And after we have them, we should SEE JESUS EVERYWHERE and LISTEN TO JESUS EVERYWHERE.

1. When we encounter Jesus, we see him everywhere.
   • In our Gospel, it says that after this great moment, Peter James and John saw nothing but Jesus alone.  They could see only Jesus!
   • Mother Teresa worked with the poorest and sickest people in India. One day someone asked her, how do you do it? Those people are disgusting, they are bleeding. They have blisters and wounds. Mother Teresa said, “Is that how they are? I didn’t know they were that way.” She only saw Jesus.
   • There is a woman who has a baby boy, and she told how she loves to just watch him sleep. She said, “I see Jesus.”
   • Here is a beautiful poem by Joseph Plunkett.

     I SEE his blood upon the rose
     And in the stars the glory of his eyes,
     His body gleams amid eternal snows,
     His tears fall from the skies.

     I see his face in every flower; 5
     The thunder and the singing of the birds
     Are but his voice—and carven by his power
     Rocks are his written words.

     All pathways by his feet are worn,
     His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea, 10
     His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn,
     His cross is every tree.

   • When we encounter Jesus, we see him everywhere. And that changes our life!
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2. The other thing that happens when we have an encounter with Jesus, is we hear Jesus everywhere. Peter, James and John….they hear the Father in heaven say, “This is my beloved son. Listen to him.”
   1. We hear Jesus. We hear Jesus in the bible. We hear him in prayer groups. We hear him in our families. We hear him in the songs of the birds. We hear him in the laughter of strangers. We hear Jesus in the cries of the poor, in those who need help.
   2. We hear Jesus in the sacraments–especially the Holy Mass, confession. Adoration. In the silence he speaks. We have adoration here. Mass this friday.

Folks, we need to see Jesus everywhere and hear Jesus everywhere. If we cannot see him and listen to him, how can we ever love him? And that is what we must do. Love. The first reading, Abraham is ready to give God everything…his own son. Of course, as he is lifting up the ax, God says, “Don’t you dare.”  But is our love that great. In the end, we will be judged on love–how much we love Jesus, his church, and each other. May we always see Jesus, and listen to Jesus…so that we can always love Jesus.