Helplessness Not Holiness

Fr. Noah's sermon begins with a reflection on the Transfiguration, emphasizing Jesus' unique nature as God incarnate. Unlike Moses and Elijah, whose encounters with God's glory were external, Jesus' divinity radiates from within. This sets the stage for understanding Jesus as the living tabernacle, making God's presence accessible to all.

The sermon then transitions to the aftermath of the Transfiguration, where Jesus and His disciples encounter a father seeking help for his demon-possessed son. Fr. Noah uses this to illustrate the importance of prayer in spiritual warfare. He explains that the disciples' failure to exorcise the demon stemmed from their lack of prayer, teaching that authority must be rooted in an intimate knowledge of Jesus gained through prayer.

Fr. Noah then focuses on the father's plea, "I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). He challenges the notion that God only responds to perfect faith, asserting instead that God works with those who acknowledge their helplessness and inadequacy. This leads to a powerful message about approaching God in our weakness, rather than trying to achieve self-made holiness.

The sermon explores Jesus' response to the father's resignedness, emphasizing that Christ works with those who admit their need for help. Fr. Noah uses this to encourage listeners not to be discouraged when God's responses don't meet their expectations, as illustrated by the boy appearing dead after the exorcism before Jesus raised him up.

Fr. Noah then reflects on the rarity of mountaintop experiences in our spiritual lives, drawing from his personal experience walking the Camino de Santiago. He emphasizes the importance of remembering and making present those moments of closeness with God to sustain us through life's valleys.

The sermon concludes with a powerful explanation of the Eucharist as a regular mountaintop experience. Fr. Noah teaches that through the priest's words of institution, Christ's crucifixion is made present and effective in the moment. He describes this as an opportunity for every "helpless, resigned, sin-sick person" to give their sin to Jesus and receive His perfect faith and righteousness.

Finally, Fr. Noah encourages his listeners to approach the altar with humility, asking for help in their unbelief and weakness. He assures them that Jesus will lift them up and send them out to share His love with the world, transformed by their encounter with Him in the power of the Holy Spirit.