Sunday 5th March 2023 - Second Sunday of Lent

Genesis 12:1-4/Psalm 32(33)/ 2 Timothy 1:8-10/ Matthew 17:1-9

When we come to Mass or to a time of Eucharistic Adoration what is it that we see? With our earthly eyes we see a small piece of bread lifted up by the Priest or displayed in an ornate monstrance. With the eyes of our soul however we see the glorified risen Christ just as Peter, James and John saw him on the mountain. Our souls are overcome with awe and wonder as we find ourselves in the presence of our risen Lord. When we see the Lord lifted above the altar at Mass or in the monstrance during Adoration our soul cries out to God as Peter did that day on the mountain, ‘Lord, it is wonderful for us to be here’.

Jesus had been preparing his followers for the impending suffering and death that he was heading towards. His transfiguration on the mountain gave his closest three followers a hint of his true glorious being, a glimpse of God the Son as he really is, and it would help to sustain them through the dark few days to come. Peter, James, and John had seen Jesus in his glory giving them an indication of what the resurrection would mean. At this time they did not understand what they were seeing but it would all become clear later.

Jesus took his companions up a mountain to show them his glory. A mountain is where Moses met with God to receive the law from God and symbolises where God can be found. In the account in Exodus Moses also has a sort of transfiguration with his face being described as ‘radiant’ shining such that the people would not go near him when he came down from the mountain (Exodus 34:29). Moses appeared with Jesus at the transfiguration because he represents the law. Elijah was there to represent the prophets. Jesus had come to fulfil the law and was the Messiah promised through the prophets. Both also point to an eternal life after earthly death because both were long gone from the earth but were now seen alive conversing with Jesus.

The voice of God the Father heard coming from the bright cloud confirmed Jesus as Son of God and that he was favoured. What does favoured by God mean? This is explained to some degree in the letter to Timothy in the second reading. We are all called by God and as such we are also favoured by God. God’s favour is a pure gift and not something we have earnt. It brings us the grace that frees us from the slavery of sin, bringing us from earthly death to eternal life. We have done nothing and can do nothing to deserve this favour which has been won for us by Jesus. Too often our faith can seem to us a burden of some kind. We feel that we need to live our Christian life to earn the love of God. In fact our Christian life should flow from the knowledge that we already have the gift of God’s favour and love.

Both Abraham and Jesus are identified as being favoured by God as indeed we are. Being favoured by God does not prevent us from having to suffer in this life. Consider the suffering that Jesus had to undertake. In being favoured by God we take on the responsibility of serving others which can lead to suffering to some degree or another. Pain is often intertwined with love and service. Jesus went to the cross because of his service of love for us. Although favoured by God his Father he still had to endure suffering and death. The fact that we too will have to bear suffering in this life in no way means that we are not also favoured and loved by God.

Lent is the time to reflect on what the salvation Jesus won for us by his suffering means. Through his love Jesus has cancelled the effects of our sins for which we should be forever thankful. We are indeed the favoured children of God but we, living by the example set by Jesus, are also called to serve God and to serve others.

The transfiguration should do the same for us as it did for Peter, James, and John. It gives us reassurance, confirms that Jesus really is God, giving us a foretaste of what our own heavenly transformation will be like. The voice from God on the mountain calls us to listen to Jesus. How do we do this? Through contemplative prayer, through reading scripture, especially the Gospels, by listening to the prayers and homilies at Mass, and by reading the words of our many teachers and writers down the ages.

God Bless Brendan.