2nd Sunday of Lent (Cycle C, Year I)
Community Word: As disciples of Christ, we are called to proclaim God’s word.
Theme: We proclaim God’s word when we heed Him.
Promise: “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body.” (Phil 3:21)
Reflection:
TO LISTEN IS TO OBEY
Let me begin with the words – metamorphosis, conversion and transformation. These are some of the terms used to define the meaning of ‘transfiguration’. And in order to understand the meaning of ‘Transfiguration’, we have to have an idea of what took place at Mt. Hermon during what the Church describes as the ‘Transfiguration of our Lord’.
The fact that this event is depicted in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matt 17:1-6; Mk 9:2-10 and Lk 9:28-36), makes the event one of the most significant in the life of Jesus. Mark’s account tells us that Jesus was transfigured while he was on a high mountain with Peter, James and John, and that His clothes turned dazzling white, whiter than any fuller on earth could bleach (Mk 9:2-3), while Lk 9: 29 describes Jesus’ clothes as being “bright as a flash of lightning.”
Likewise, there is something peculiar and common to all three major characters in this event (Jesus, Elijah and Moses), and that is the mountain. In all our scripture readings, we note that Jesus always goes up to a mountain or some elevated place to pray, especially at night. This was true also of Moses who was given the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, and Elijah when he encountered God on Mt. Horeb. There are no clear explanations for their choice of mountain tops on which to pray. The only plausible explanation could be that mountains give them a sense of drawing closer to heaven where God is, or it could be that the stillness and mystical majesty of mountains make these locations conducive to prayer. The Transfiguration of our Lord is deemed significant because as His Baptism in the River Jordan by John the Baptist was the starting point of his public life, and his Ascension to heaven the end of his earthly mission, the Transfiguration was the apex of His ministry.
This event was also important because it confirmed God’s will for Jesus to proceed with his salvific mission of finally binding the powers of Satan and the world, and to reconcile all men to the Father through his death on the cross. The appearance of Eljah and Moses at the scene was not coincidence, but part of God’s plan to enable the Apostles – at least three of them: Peter, James and John – to the witness the truth that Jesus, indeed, is the Son of God. The presence of the three Apostles as witnesses of the glory of Jesus Christ is important because as witnesses, they had first to personally witness, and then testify to the world about what they had seen. This is true of us as well. In order for us to witness for Christ, we must first encounter Him and be transfigured into His image before we can go out into the world and make disciples of all nations (Mat 28:18).
What the Transfiguration demonstrates is that in everything He did, Jesus always first went before the Father for direction and guidance. His decision to go to Jerusalem was no different. Jesus placed His life in the hands of the Father, and this was point He was trying to His disciples. He was actually telling them to put all their trust in God. What makes this narrative significant is transformation of Jesus Christ from being a teacher or rabbi into the Sacrificial Lamb who will be offered as expiation for our sins. When God spoke in v.35, Jesus understood that it was the will of the One who sent Him that He should go to Jerusalem to suffer and die for all of mankind.
In this Gospel narrative, Jesus is actually inviting each of us to take a leap of faith and step out of our comfort zones into the unknown. When Jesus went up to Mt. Hermon, He too was stepping out in faith and into the unknown, and needed to pray and ask for God’s affirmation about the right thing to do. Serving God is filled with “unknowns” and only those among us who are bold enough to go up to our own Mt. Hermon to seek God’s will in prayer will be equipped with the strength to carry our crosses and experience our own transfiguration.
There is nothing that God wants more than for us to share His glory. The Transfiguration gave Peter, James and John the unique opportunity to witness the glory of God and Jesus in its fullness, and us a glimpse of what could be ours too if we but abide in His Word. As disciples of Christ in BLD, we are called to be witnesses to His glory, keeping in mind what Paul the Apostle said to the people of Corinth: “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18) Thus, we must ask in faith what God wants from us today. The Transfiguration shows us that God simply wants us to obey his Son. When God spoke from the clouds and said “Listen to him,” it means we are not to just read Scriptures, join seminars and workshops, go to prayer meetings and attend Word-sharing circles, but that we should move and act on what we hear. The Transfiguration event is actually a message for everyone who wishes to follow Christ, especially those who regard themselves as disciples.
The Lenten Season is the time to take stock of our relationship with Jesus Christ and with one another, because our spirituality rests in our being transfigured into the likeness and personhood of Christ. As we move deeper into the season, we must gather all our energies to fuse together our inner and public life, meaning we should be authentic at all times, not one person when observed, and another person when no one is watching. This is what we call integrity and this is true spirituality. To listen is to obey. That’s the bottom line. This means that we are to die to our human nature and be transfigured into the nature of Christ. It also means we are to serve God by serving men without counting the cost. And if we as disciples want to give honor and glory to Jesus and look forward to joining Him in heaven, then all we need to do is to heed what the Apostle Paul told the church of Corinth: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Cor 11:1)
This Lenten Season let us look deeply into our hearts and souls and discover what hinders our transformation into the image and likeness of the One who created us. This is also an opportune time to come to grips with the fact that God’s desire is for us to simply heed what He said on that mountain: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
Reflection Questions:
1. What are the things that you do which prevent you from listening to Jesus and hinder you from becoming Christ-like?
2. Before making any decision in your life, do you always come before God and pray for His guidance? Share a situation
when you were blessed because you followed God’s will.
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
February 24, 2013 (Sun) Gn 15:5-12,17,18/Ps 27:1,7-9,13,14/ Phil 3:17-4:1 or 3:20-4:1/Lk 9:28-36
February 25, 2013 (Mon) Dn 9:4-10/Ps 79:8,9,11,13/Lk 6:36-38
February 26, 2013 (Tues) Is 1:10,16-20/Ps 50:8,9,16,17,21,23/Mt 23:1-12
February 27, 2013 (Wed) Jer 15:18-20/Ps 31:5,6,14-16/Mt 20:17-28
February 28, 2013 (Thur) Jer 17:5-10/Ps 1:1-4,6/Lk 16:19-31
March 1, 2013 (Fri) Ps 105:16-21/Mt 21:33-43,45-46
March 2, 2013 (Sat) Mi 7:14,15,18-20/Ps 103:1-4,9-12/Lk 15:1-3,11-32
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
