Climbing the Mountain with Christ: A Lenten Reflection

03-01-2026Weekly ReflectionFr. Fred Adamson

Dear Parishioners,

This year I invite us to make a conscious decision to live Lent and Easter as one great 90-day journey: forty days of Lent flowing into fifty days of Easter. The Cross only makes full sense in the light of Easter. Without the Resurrection, the Cross would seem like defeat. But because Christ is risen, His love in and through the Cross becomes our hope, our confidence, and our new life.

When we fix our eyes on the Risen Lord, we are able to embrace struggle and suffering with trust. In Baptism we have already passed through death into life. In the Church, through Word and Sacrament, that life is continually renewed. Lent, then, is not something we simply "get through." It is a sacred preparation to be restored, refreshed, and renewed in the right relationship of love for which our hearts were made.

The Gospel this Sunday gives us the great mystery of the Transfiguration. Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. There they behold His glory as He is transfigured before them. Moses, representing the Law, and Elijah, representing the Prophets, appear beside Him. Overwhelmed, they fall to the ground in adoration. From the cloud comes the Father's voice: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him."

That encounter remained with them. It strengthened them in moments of fear, persecution, and doubt. The glory of the mountain prepared them for the agony of the Cross. And after the Resurrection, they understood more fully what they had seen.

This Gospel is proclaimed for us because we, too, need "mountain moments." We need encounters with the Lord that give us lasting peace, courage, and clarity. Lent and Easter together offer us the opportunity to climb the mountain through deeper prayer, faithful participation at Mass, time in Eucharistic Adoration, and sincere Confession. These encounters anchor us. They allow us to descend into daily life strengthened by grace.

Here at Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, our patron's wisdom guides us. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux teaches us about the Four Loves - a journey from loving self for our own sake, to loving God for His sake alone. The Cross is the great school of this love. On the Cross we see how deeply we are loved. We learn that we are not abandoned in suffering. We are invited into transformation.

Perhaps your "transfiguration" this Lent will not be dramatic, but quiet, a deeper awareness that you are loved personally by Christ. A clearer understanding that His sacrifice was for you. A growing desire to love Him in return. That is how the journey of the Four Loves unfolds: step by step, grace upon grace.

Next week we will welcome the Dominican Friars from the Angelicum in Rome to lead our Lenten Parish Mission. They will preach at all the weekend Masses and offer three days of reflections in the mornings and evenings. On Wednesday evening, there will be a special healing service with many priests available for Confession. I strongly encourage you to attend all three days if possible, but if not, come to one. Open your heart in surrender and trust that the Lord will give you exactly what you need. This is a tremendous blessing for our parish and for visitors who will join us from around the valley. Let us welcome them with true Saint Bernard hospitality; warmth, kindness, and joy rooted in Christ.

We are well into our 90-day journey. Keep your eyes fixed on the Cross - our school of love. Trust that through it the Lord will restore and renew you in the joy of Easter.

Lenten peace and hope,

Fr. Fred