THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Mount Tabor is 1800 feet above sea level and it is the place that most ancient scholars agree is the site of the Transfiguration. In the Synoptic Gospels the transfiguration follows Jesus questioning his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?”
When he saw they were starting to get it, he revealed a deeper understanding of himself. He was going to suffer and die and after three days rise from the dead. So the condition for following him was they must be willing to lose their lives for his sake and the sake of the Gospel. Then six days after this hard teaching, Jesus takes his trusted threesome, Peter, James and John, to Mount Tabor and was transfigured before them.
Having the Gospel of the Transfiguration so close to the beginning of Lent, points to the conclusion of the Lenten Journey — the celebration, death and resurrection of Jesus. We do not have to pretend that Easter has not happened, but we are invited to grow in our faith understanding of this, the most radical and fundamental of our Christian beliefs.
DAILY GOSPEL
Second Sunday of Lent March 16, 2025
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 9,28b-36.
Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.
《The Gospel of the Lord 》
Jesus charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.
REFLECTION
On the holy mountain Jesus revealed himself in glory in the presence of his disciples. He had already prepared them for his approaching death. He wanted to teach them through the Law and the Prophets that the promised Christ had first to suffer and so come to the glory of his resurrection.
Jesus has another experience of his Father identifying him as his beloved Son. Through our baptism we received the same identity as Jesus did at his baptism, being beloved sons or daughters. As this profound awareness of Jesus as beloved got him through the tough times in his life, our identity as being deeply loved by God will comfort us when the going gets tough.
The disciples were terrified by the experience of seeing Jesus this way. But his word to them was: “Rise and do not be afraid.’ When we are afraid and fearful, do we turn to Jesus for comfort?
Do we keep the end of our Lenten journey in focus: celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus? Is our Lenten prayer focused on letting the love of Jesus in his death and resurrection strengthen our hope?
As we reflect on Jesus’ Transfiguration in today’s Gospel, we see a glimpse of our own conversion. We are invited to an inner change that can transform our lives completely. May we carry our daily cross, knowing that Jesus’ love for us is so great, that he allowed himself to be crucified on the Cross of our sins, so he could save the whole of mankind.
What is important is that we keep going no matter what. Let us not worry about speed, nor distance, nor results. God will do the rest. God’s grace will take care of our growth but we must continue to pray, to be patient and to persevere.
May the Lord whom we have promised to worship send anointing that will break every bad yoke in our life in Jesus’ Name. Amen
