GROW: God is not looking for perfection when it comes to his leaders, he is looking for true and loving hearts. In the first reading, God is not impressed with the master of the palace as a father for the people of Jerusalem. Eliakim the servant has the heart God desires. God will give Eliakim whatever he needs to guide his people – the right clothes, authority, and a place of honor. And we learn in the Gospel that Peter has the heart of love Jesus knows is necessary to guide his followers after he is gone. There are more learned and powerful men, but they lack Peter’s faith. Jesus knows Peter is not perfect and he has much to learn, but Peter has the right foundation for the Church. We don’t need to be the smartest people or have money and influence to be God’s leaders. We need hearts of love and faith, and God will give us the tools we need to do the work.

GROW: The abundance of God’s love for us is what stood out for me in our readings today. If we consider the concept of abundance outside the Scriptures, it can be tricky. When we have it, does it imply we have too much when others have too little? If we are speaking of material things, then perhaps. But God’s infinite and merciful love for us resound in each of our readings today, and this is cause for joy. In Isaiah, the Lord announces that he will accept offerings from anyone who holds to his covenant, Jewish or not. Saint Paul stresses that God’s mercy is for all, and Jesus, after some back-and-forth with the Canaanite woman, heals the woman’s daughter because of her great faith. God never tires of desiring healing and wholeness for all his children, which is a great gift. Let this gift of grace from God be a catalyst for us to reach out in love to others so that we also can come to God’s “holy mountain and [be made] joyful in [his] house of prayer.”

GROW: Unlike with our other important relationships, God isn't exactly someone we can meet for coffee and look into his eyes while having conversation. Whether we talk to God in our mind or out loud, we recognize that even with good prayer life it can sometimes be difficult to cultivate and maintain relationship with God. Doubters and unbelievers are quick to remind us how impossible it is to believe what we cannot see or hear, but today's readings also remind us that God doesn't speak to us as another human being would. Maybe he doesn't speak with the booming voice of preacher or politician, and maybe he doesn't write direct messages for us in the sky or sand, but God does speak.

GROW: According to the dictionary definition, to be transfigured is to “transform into something more beautiful or elevated.” This is what we see happening in Matthew’s Gospel today: Jesus takes his closest disciples up the mountain and there he is transformed – he is transfigured – before them: “His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” He is also joined by Moses and Elijah as a sign that he is the fulfillment of God’s promises of old. Jesus completes the old covenant that God made with his people and brings us the new covenant of salvation. The Transfiguration parallels the Baptism of the Lord in that we once again hear God speaking from the heavens to say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” But during the Transfiguration, God adds the words, “Listen to him.” That’s a command not just for his disciples there on the mountain but for us today as well.