Second Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 25
Reading 1
The LORD said to Abram:
"Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk
and from your father's house to a land that I will show you.
"I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you."
Abram went as the LORD directed him.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (22) Lord, let your
mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Reading 2
Beloved:
Bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God.
He saved us and called us to a holy life,
not according to our works
but according to his own design
and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,
who destroyed death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel.
Verse Before the Gospel
From the shining cloud the
Father's voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him.
Gospel
Jesus took Peter, James, and
John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him."
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
"Rise, and do not be afraid."
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
"Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
The Transfiguration of Jesus was a major event that impacted Peter, James, and John significantly. It is mentioned in all four Gospels and in one of Peter’s letters. It obviously left a lasting impression, which was of course by design. Having Peter, James, and John present was also of significance, since they were the three who would be instrumental in the development and building up of the early Church. It would be through them that we would receive the earliest interpretations of Jesus’ teachings and the Church traditions that we carry on today. We also gain an understanding of Jesus being the fulfillment of everything that came from God before. The appearance of Elijah, representative of all of the prophets, and of Moses (the Law) shows that all these things are brought to perfection through Jesus Christ. All these things lead to the Incarnation; the Word becoming flesh. Jesus’ divinity is then revealed as Him being the Son of God. This is the second full revelation of the Trinity, the first being during Jesus’ baptism. We have the Son present, the Father introducing Him, and the Holy Spirit which transfigured Jesus. So many astounding truths being revealed simultaneously in this one glorious event, which was also meant to impact us in our daily lives.
We too have the opportunity to be transfigured by our relationship with Jesus, by focusing on our relationship with Him. We too are invited to climb that mountain before us, which is representative of the challenges to our faith present in our lives. The more that we focus on the journey, the more the fruits of our labor will be revealed. As in all things, the more time and dedication invested in something will produce positive results. When we focus on the good things that will bring about a transformative experience in us, then there can be no doubt that only good things will happen. During this Season of Lent, we are offered a chance to join billions of Christians around the world in a journey that will affect all of God’s creation. We can be a part of a global movement, that can remove us from all that is wrong in the world and put us into the Living Body of Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ. We have already taken up our crosses, now we have to continue climbing the mountain before us. The Transfiguration gives us a vision of what lies at the end of the journey. This can offer strength and hope, but cannot take away from the central theme of Lent, which is The Crucified Christ. All these themes should be working together as we journey towards Calvary.
When we recognize who Jesus is and accept Him, we then become partakers in the covenant that God made with Abraham. We become part of that “great nation” that God promised to Him. From that moment, we become receivers of God’s grace and our personal salvation story begins. The hardships that we endure become opportunities for our faith to be strengthened. What once threatened to harm us, makes us stronger as we make our climb to a better life and a better existence in the present. Everything becomes better because it is focused on the ultimate good, which is found through, by, and in Jesus Christ. The Transfiguration is offered as a testament to what we are a part of so that we may be constantly reminded as to why we embrace our crosses and continue that climb up the mountain. What is at the top validates all the hard work and suffering that comes before.
Deacon Tom
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