A glimpse beyond the Passion and Death

March 05, Second Sunday of Lent
Genesis 12: 1-4a; 2 Timothy 1: 8b-10; Matthew 17:1-9

Have you noticed that every year, on the Second Sunday of Lent, the Church’s liturgy presents to us the story of the Lord’s Transfiguration?

After reflecting on the Lord’s temptation in the desert on the First Sunday, we are now invited to join Jesus our Lord and the chosen disciples – Peter, James and John – to go up the mountain and behold a wonderful sight: ‘Jesus’ face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.’ It must have been truly a marvelous vision that Peter exclaimed: ‘Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here…’

Many biblical scholars comment that the forthcoming experience of Jesus’ passion and death would be too much for the apostles to bear so this preview of his glory is a necessary moment in the overall Paschal journey of Jesus together with his followers.

This belief is reflected in the prayer of the Church as we see in the Preface of today’s liturgy: “For after he had told the disciples of his coming Death, on the holy mountain he manifested to them his glory, to show, even by the testimony of the law and the prophets, that the Passion leads to the glory of the Resurrection.”

The Transfiguration of Jesus is an invitation for us to take a glimpse of what lies beyond the passion and death of our Lord and so strengthen our sense of hope. Moreover, the event of the Transfiguration reinforces the importance of listening to Jesus, of recognizing him as truly the Father’s Beloved Son.

Only if we faithfully do this can we truly walk the path Jesus himself traversed. We will surely meet suffering and challenges along the way but we are certain of victory because we are walking with Jesus who has already conquered sin and death.

Let the event of Christ’s transfiguration empower us to live out the call to “bear our share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.” (2 Tim 1:8b – See Second Reading)