K-of-C: Cardinal Turcotte on the Civilization of Love and the Transfiguration

Matthew Harrison

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, the Archbishop of Montreal, was the homilist for Wednesday's Mass at the Knights of Columbus 126th Supreme Convention in Quebec City. The focus of his homily was appropriate -- the liturgical feast of the Transfiguration which the Church celebrates today, and the idea of building the civilization of love, which is the theme of this year's convention.

The Cardinal reflected on how overwhelmed the Apostles must have felt after witnessing the Transfiguraiton:

It must have been tough to keep this secret, but it would have taught these disciples an important lesson: while extraordinary experiences are good, the living “ordinary” presence of Christ is just as important. It is not grace OR nature. It is not Jesus OR the world. Yes, we must learn to live in an ordinary world, but as a beginning, not an end. The reassuring presence of Jesus in our midst, particularly in the Eucharist, is rarely accompanied by visions and talking clouds. But is it all the same Jesus. Our lives – even the practice of our faith - can seem mundane at times. We may even live in times of personal or communal darkness. But this does not mean that Jesus is not there. He is.

To read the entire text of the homily, and the other homilies and addresses at the Convention, click HERE.

Photo courtesy of the Knights of Columbus