Second
Sunday of Lent
Lectionary:
27
Reading 1 Gn 15:5-12, 17-18
The Lord God took Abram outside and said,
“Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
He then said to him,
“I am the LORD who brought you fromUr
to give you this land as a possession.”
“O Lord GOD,” he asked,
“how am I to know that I shall possess it?”
He answered him,
“Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,
a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
and placed each half opposite the other;
but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,
but Abram stayed with them.
As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.
When the sun had set and it was dark,
there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram,
saying: “To your descendants I give this land,
from the Wadi of Egypt to theGreat River , the Euphrates .”
“Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
He then said to him,
“I am the LORD who brought you from
to give you this land as a possession.”
“O Lord GOD,” he asked,
“how am I to know that I shall possess it?”
He answered him,
“Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,
a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
and placed each half opposite the other;
but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,
but Abram stayed with them.
As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.
When the sun had set and it was dark,
there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram,
saying: “To your descendants I give this land,
from the Wadi of Egypt to the
Responsorial Psalm Ps
27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14
R. (1a) The Lord is my
light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Reading
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters,
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord.
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord.
or PHIL
3:20—4:1
Brothers and sisters:
Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.
Gospel Lk
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 inJerusalem
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.
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
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.
Scripture Study
February 24, 2013 Second Sunday of
Lent
The liturgical season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday and
runs until Holy Thursday night. Lent has a two fold character. It serves as a
time for the immediate preparation of the catechumens and candidates who will
be fully initiated into the church at the Easter Vigil when they celebrate the
sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist). It also
serves as a time for the rest of us to prepare ourselves, by penance,
alms-giving and prayer to celebrate the Paschal Mystery and the renewal of our
own baptismal promises at Easter. This double character actually speaks of two
ways to describe the same journey. All of us, whether new catechumen or long
time believer, are constantly being called to more complete conversion. God
always calls us to approach Him more closely. During this time, the church
invites us to spend time with Jesus, John the Baptist and the ancient prophets
of Israel in the wilderness, listening to this call from God and reflecting on
the mystery of redemption through the cross and resurrection of Jesus and on
what it means for each of us today.
This weekend we celebrate the Second Sunday of Lent. The
readings call us to improved vision. We are called to see the glory hidden in
the humanity of Jesus as did Peter, the heavenly kingdom that is present within
the Christian community as described by Paul, and the presence of God in the
promises He has made even though, like Abram, we cannot yet see their complete
fulfillment. This improved vision is a step in the process of continual
conversion to which this year's Lenten readings call us.
NOTES on
First Reading
* 15:6
Abraham's faith in God's promises was regarded as an act of righteousness. It
expressed the "right" attitude of man toward God. Paul will use
Abraham's faith as a model for that of Christians (Romans 4:1-25; Gal 3:6-9).
* 15:9 Three
years old was the age of ritual maturity for these animals.
* 15:11 The
birds of prey are often seen as those attacks on our relationship with God that
come from the forces outside ourselves.
* 15:12 The
deep sleep is a prelude to divine intervention as in Gen 2:21.
* 15:17
Brazier means literally "oven". In this case a portable one is meant.
Smoke and fire are frequently used symbols representing God's presence.
Contemporary records indicate that agreements were often ratified by walking
between the divided pieces of animals while the contracting parties invoked on
themselves a fate similar to that of the slaughtered beast if they should fail
to keep their word. This was a common method of establishing a covenant.
* 15:18 The
literal meaning of the words translated as "made a covenant" is
"cut a covenant". The expression is derived from the ceremony of
cutting the animals in two.
NOTES on Second
Reading
* 3:17-21 Paul
advocates a life centered in Christ. Such a life envisages both Jesus'
suffering and resurrection. Such a model is the opposite of what Paul's
opponents who reject Christ's cross are using as their rallying point(See 1 Cor
1:23).
* 3:17 When he
says, "be imitators of me", Paul is not expressing arrogance, but
humble simplicity, since all his converts know that Paul is wholly dedicated to
imitating Christ (1 Cor 11:1; See also Phil 4:9; 1 Thes 1:6; 2 Thes 3:7,9; 1
Cor 4:6).
* 3:18 The
enemies of the cross are those who deny the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice by
advocating circumcision among Christians.
* 3:19 The zeal
of his opponents for the dietary laws and for circumcision has Paul remind them
that all such earthly things are swept away by Jesus.
* 3:20 Paul
uses the comparison of Christians constituting a colony of heaven, just as
Philippi was a colony of Rome
* 4:1 This
verse expresses a concluding admonition to stand firm in the new life we enjoy
in Christ. It also begins a series of ethical admonitions running up to verse 9
that rest especially on the view of Christ and his coming given in Phil
3:20-21.
NOTES on Gospel:
* 9:28-36 This event is
placed shortly after the first announcement of the passion, death, and
resurrection. Jesus' transfiguration provides the heavenly confirmation to His
declaration that his suffering will end in glory (Luke 9:32).
* 9:28 In the scriptures
the "mountain" is a common place of prayer and in Luke it is the
regular place of prayer (see Luke 6:12; 22:39-41). Luke is the only gospel that
tells us why they went up the mountain.
* 9:30 Moses and Elijah
represent the Old Testament law and the prophets. In Luke 9:35, at the end of
this episode, the heavenly voice will identify Jesus as the one to be listened
to now.
* 9:31 Luke is the only
gospel that identifies the subject of the conversation. The exodus (Some
translations say, "passage" or "departure") of Jesus is a
reference to the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus that will take
place in Jerusalem Egypt
* 9:32 Luke here refers to
the glory that is proper to God and he attributes it to Jesus (see Luke 24:26).
This is a way of expressing His Divinity.
* 9:33 The reference to
making tents is a possible allusion to the Feast of Tabernacles. The feast may
be near or Peter may be likening his joy on the occasion of the transfiguration
to the joyful celebration of this harvest festival. He may have misinterpreted
the event in the light of the Feast of Tabernacles which came to be seen in its
abundance as a symbol of God's consummation of history.
* 9:34 In the Greek it is
not clear whether them refers to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, or to the disciples.
The cloud in the Old Testament indicated the presence of God as it covered the
meeting tent (Exod 40:34-35) and later rested over the temple at Jerusalem (1
Kgs 8:10).
* 9:35 The words that the
Father spoke at the Baptism (Luke 3:22) are repeated. The added admonition to
"listen to Him" may be an allusion to the prophet like Moses of Deut
18:15. The two representatives of the Old Testament Israel depart (Luke 9:33)
and Jesus is left alone (Luke 9:36) as the teacher whose words must be heard
(see also Acts 3:22).
* 9:36 "At that
time" means before the resurrection.
Meditation: Jesus transfigured in glory
What can blind us or keep us
from recognizing God’s presence and glory in our lives? Sin and unbelief for
sure! Faith enables us to see what is hidden or unseen to the naked eye and the
unperceiving heart. Through the eyes of faith Abraham recognized God and God’s
call on his life. He saw from afar not only what God intended for him, but for
his descendants as well – an everlasting covenant of friendship and peace with
the living God (Genesis 15:5-6,17). Abraham is the father of faith because he
put his hope in the promises of God. Faith makes us taste in advance the light
of God’s glory when we shall see him face to face as he is (1 Corinthians
13:12; 1 John 3:2). Are you prepared to meet the Lord face-to-face and to see him in his glory? God is eager to share his glory with us! We get a glimpse of this when the disciples see Jesus transfigured on the mountain. Jesus' face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. When Moses met with God on
Luke tells us that Peter, James, and John were heavy with sleep while Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:22)! Upon awakening they discovered that Jesus was transfigured in glory along with Moses and Elijah. How much do we miss of God's glory and action because we are asleep spiritually? There are many things which can keep our minds asleep to the things of God. Mental lethargy and the "unexamined life" can keep us from thinking things through and facing our doubts and questions. The life of comfort can also hinder us from considering the challenging or disturbing demands of Christ. Prejudice can make us blind to something new the Lord may have for us. Even sorrow can be a block until we can see past it to the glory of God. Are you spiritually awake? Peter, James, and John were privileged witnesses of the glory of Jesus Christ. We, too, as disciples of Christ are called to be witnesses of his glory. We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Lord Jesus wants to reveal his glory to us, his beloved disciples. Do you seek his presence with faith and reverence?
“Lord Jesus Christ, keep me always alert to you, to your constant presence in my life, and to your life-giving word that nourishes me daily. Let me see your glory.”
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
(Genesis 15:5-12,17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17 ̶ 4:1).
KEY VERSE: Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my
REFLECTING: Will I try to listen to what Jesus is telling me during Lent?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus help me to desire your presence.
The
Lord is my light and my salvation
The Transfiguration is a pivotal event in all three synoptics. It is the point where the powerful works of kingdom proclamation begin to give place to the demands of discipleship. Once the Messiah has been identified, it is time for the disciples to learn to walk in his ways. He will lead them on a second Exodus, from the servitude of this world into the freedom of God’s kingdom.
The way will be hard, so the Father provides one last assurance that it is sure, despite appearances. Moses and Elijah appear in glory before the transfigured Jesus and, while they speak to the Messiah, the Father addresses the disciples. They are to fix their gaze on the Son and listen to what he says. The Father works powerfully in Christians who read the gospels assiduously and heed their ways.
February 17
Blessed Luke Belludi
(1200-c. 1285)
Blessed Luke Belludi
(1200-c. 1285)
In 1220, St.
Anthony was preaching conversion to the inhabitants of Padua
Luke, then
only 20, was to be Anthony's companion in his travels and in his preaching,
tending to him in his last days and taking Anthony's place upon his death. He
was appointed guardian of the Friars Minor in the city of Padua Padua
After the
fulfillment of the prophetic message, Luke was elected provincial minister and
furthered the completion of the great basilica in honor of Anthony, his
teacher. He founded many convents of the order and had, as Anthony, the gift of
miracles. Upon his death he was laid to rest in the basilica that he had helped
finish and has had a continual veneration up to the present time.
Comment:
The epistles
refer several times to a man named Luke as Paul’s trusted companion on his
missionary journeys. Perhaps every great preacher needs a Luke; Anthony surely
did. Luke Belludi not only accompanied Anthony on his travels, he also cared
for the great saint in his final illness and carried on Anthony’s mission after
the saint’s death. Yes, every preacher needs a Luke, someone to offer support
and reassurance—including those who minister to us. We don’t even have to
change our names!
Lectio: 2nd Sunday of Lent (C)
Lectio:
Sunday,
February 24, 2013 - 10
The Transfiguration of Jesus
A new way of fulfilling the
prophecies
Luke 9:28-36
1. Opening prayer
Lord Jesus,
send your Spirit to help us read the Scriptures with the same mind that you
read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word,
written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the
disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be
the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us
silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures,
in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word
guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the
force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our
midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus,
son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
2. Reading
a) A key to the reading:
A few days
earlier, Jesus had said that he, the Son of Man, had to be tried and crucified
by the authorities (Lk 9:22; Mk 8:31). According to the information in the
Gospels of Mark and Matthew, the disciples, especially Peter, did not
understand what Jesus had said and were scandalised by the news (Mt 16:22; Mk
8:32). Jesus reacted strongly and turned to Peter calling him Satan (Mt 16:23;
Mk 8:33). This was because Jesus’ words did not correspond with the ideal of
the glorious Messiah whom they imagined. Luke does not mention Peter’s reaction
and Jesus’ strong reply, but he does describe, as do the other Evangelists, the
episode of the Transfiguration. Luke sees the Transfiguration as an aid to the
disciples so that they may be able to overcome the scandal and change their
idea of the Messiah (Lk 9:28-36). Taking with him the three disciples, Jesus
goes up the mountain to pray and, while he is praying, is transfigured. As we
read the text, it is good to note what follows: “Who appears with Jesus on the
mountain to converse with him? What is the theme of their conversation? What is
the disciples’ attitude?”
b) A division of the text as an aid
to the reading:
i) Luke
9:28: The moment of crisis
ii) Luke
9:29: The change that takes place during the prayer
iii) Luke
9:30-31: The appearance of the two men and their conversation with Jesus
iv) Luke
9:32-34: The disciples’ reaction
v) Luke
9:35-36: The Father’s voice
c) The text:
28 Now about
eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and
went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of
his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. 30 And
behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and
Luke 9:28-36spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem Chosen ;
listen to him!" 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had
seen.
3. A moment of prayerful silence
so that the
Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
4. Some questions
to help us
in our personal reflection.
a) What
pleased you most in this episode of the Transfiguration? Why?
b) Who are
those who go to the mountain with Jesus? Why do they go?
c) Moses and
Elijah appear on the mountain next to Jesus. What is the significance of these
two persons from the Old Testament for Jesus, for the disciples for the
community in the 80s? And for us today?
d) Which
prophecy from the Old Testament is fulfilled in the words of the Father
concerning Jesus?
e) What is
the attitude of the disciples during this episode?
f) Has there
been a transfiguration in your life? How have such experiences of
transfiguration helped you to fulfil your mission better?
g) Compare
Luke’s description of the Transfiguration of Jesus (Lk 9:28-36) with his
description of the agony of Jesus in the Garden (Lk 22:39-46). Try to see
whether there are any similarities. What is the significance of these
similarities?
5. A key to the reading
for those
who wish to go deeper into the theme.
a) The context of Jesus’ discourse:
In the two
previous chapters of Luke’s Gospel, the innovation brought by Jesus stands out
and tensions between the New and the Old grow. In the end, Jesus realised that
no one had understood his meaning and much less his person. People thought that
he was like John the Baptist, Elijah or some old prophet (Lk 9:18-19). The
disciples accepted him as the Messiah, but a glorious Messiah, according to the
propaganda issued by the government and the official religion of the Temple
In the 30s,
the experience of the Transfiguration had a very important significance in the
life of Jesus and of the disciples. It helped them overcome the crisis of faith
and to change their ideals concerning the Messiah. In the 80s, when Luke was
writing for the Christian communities in Greece Palestine to Italy
b) A commentary on the text:
Luke 9:28:
The moment of crisis
On several
occasions Jesus entered into conflict with the people and the religious and
civil authorities of his time (Lk 4:28-29; 5:21-20; 6:2-11; 7:30.39; 8:37;
9,9). He knew they would not allow him to do the things he did. Sooner or later
they would catch him. Besides, in that society, the proclamation of the
Kingdom, as Jesus did, was not to be tolerated. He either had to withdraw or
face death! There were no other alternatives. Jesus did not withdraw. Hence the
cross appears on the horizon, not just as a possibility but as a certainty (Lk
9:22). Together with the cross there appears also the temptation to go on with
the idea of the Glorious Messiah and not of the Crucified, suffering servant,
announced by the Prophet Isaiah (Mk 8:32-33). At this difficult moment Jesus
goes up the mountain to pray, taking with him Peter, James and John. Through
his prayer, Jesus seeks strength not to lose sense of direction in his mission
(cf. Mk 1:35).
Luke 9:29:
The change that takes place during the prayer
As soon as
Jesus starts praying, his appearance changes and he appears glorious. His face
changes and his clothes become white and shining. It is the glory that the
disciples imagined for the Messiah. This transformation told them clearly that
Jesus was indeed the Messiah expected by all. But what follows the episode of
the Transfiguration will point out that the way to glory is quite different
from what they imagined. The transfiguration will be a call to conversion.
Luke
9:30-31: Two men appear speaking with Jesus
Together
with Jesus and in the same glorious state there appear Moses and Elijah, the
two major exponents of the Old Testament, representing the Law and the
Prophets. They speak with Jesus about “the Exodus brought to fulfilment in Jerusalem Kingdom
of God
Luke 9:32-34:
The disciples’ reaction
The
disciples were in deep sleep. When they woke up, the saw Jesus in his glory and
the two men with him. But Peter’s reaction shows that they were not aware of
the real meaning of the glory in which Jesus appeared to them. As often happens
with us, they were only aware of what concerned them. The rest escapes their
attention. “Master, it is good for us to be here!” And they do not want to get
off the mountain any more! When it is question of the cross, whether on the
Mount of the Transfiguration or on the Mount of Olives
(Lk 22:45), they sleep! They prefer the Glory to the Cross! They do not like to
speak or hear of the cross. They want to make sure of the moment of glory on
the mountain, and they offer to build three tents. Peter did not know what he
was saying.
While Peter
was speaking, a cloud descended from on high and covered them with its shadow.
Luke says that the disciples became afraid when the cloud enfolded them. The
cloud is the symbol of the presence of God. The cloud accompanied the multitude
on their journey through the desert (Ex 40: 34-38; Nm 10:11-12). When Jesus
ascended into heaven, he was covered by a cloud and they no longer saw him
(Acts 1:9). This was a sign that Jesus had entered forever into God’s world.
Luke
9:35-36: The Father’s voice
A voice is
heard from the cloud that says: “This is my Son, the Chosen ,
listen to him”. With this same sentence the prophet Isaiah had proclaimed the
Messiah-Servant (Is 42:1). First Moses and Elijah, now God himself presents
Jesus as the Messiah-Servant who will come to glory through the cross. The
voice ends with a final admonition: “Listen to him!” As the heavenly voice
speaks, Moses and Elijah disappear and only Jesus is left. This signifies that
from now on only He will interpret the Scriptures and the will of God. He is
the Word of God for the disciples: “Listen to him!”
The
proclamation “This is my Son, the Chosen ;
listen to him” was very important for the community of the late 80s. Through
this assertion God the Father confirmed the faith of Christians in Jesus as Son
of God. In Jesus’ time, that is, in the 30s, the expression Son of Man pointed
to a very high dignity and mission. Jesus himself gave a relative meaning to
the term by saying that all were children of God (cf. John 10:33-35). But for
some the title Son of God became a resume of all titles, over one hundred that
the first Christians gave Jesus in the second half of the first century. In
succeeding centuries, it was the title of Son of God that the Church concentrated
all its faith in the person of Jesus.
c) A deepening:
i) The
Transfiguration is told in three of the Gospels: Matthew (Mt 17:1-9), Mark (Mk
9:2-8) and Luke (Lk 9:28-36). This is a sign that this episode contained a very
important message. As we said, it was a matter of great help to Jesus, to his
disciples and to the first communities. It confirmed Jesus in his mission as
Messiah-Servant. It helped the disciples to overcome the crisis that the cross
and suffering caused them. It led the communities to deepen their faith in
Jesus, Son of God, the One who revealed the Father and who became the new key
to the interpretation of the Law and the Prophets. The Transfiguration
continues to be of help in overcoming the crisis that the cross and suffering
provoke today. The three sleeping disciples are a reflection of all of us. The
voice of the Father is directed to us as it was to them: “This is my Son, the Chosen ; listen to him!”
ii) In
Luke’s Gospel there is a great similarity between the scene of the
Transfiguration (Lk 9:28-36) and the scene of the agony of Jesus in the Garden of Olives Garden of Olives
iii) Luke
describes the Transfiguration. There are times in our life when suffering is
such that we might think: “God has abandoned me! He is no longer with me!” And
then suddenly we realise that He has never deserted us, but that we had our
eyes bandaged and were not aware of the presence of God. Then everything is
changed and transfigured. It is the transfiguration! This happens every day in
our lives.
6. Psalm 42 (41)
“My soul
thirsts for the living God!”
As a hart
longs for flowing streams,
so longs my
soul for thee, O God.
My soul
thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I
come and behold the face of God?
My tears
have been my food day and night,
while men
say to me continually, "Where is your God?"
These things
I remember, as I pour out my soul:
how I went
with the throng,
and led them
in procession to the house of God,
with glad
shouts and songs of thanksgiving,
a multitude
keeping festival.
Why are you
cast down, O my soul,
and why are
you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
for I shall again praise him,
my help and
my God.
My soul is
cast down within me,
therefore I
remember thee from the land
of Jordan
and of
Hermon, from Mount
Mizar
Deep calls
to deep at the thunder of thy cataracts;
all thy
waves and thy billows have gone over me.
By day the
Lord commands his steadfast love;
and at night
his song is with me,
a prayer to
the God of my life.
I say to
God, my rock:
"Why
hast thou forgotten me?
Why go I
mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"
As with a
deadly wound in my body,
my
adversaries taunt me,
while they
say to me continually,
"Where
is your God?"
Why are you
cast down, O my soul,
and why are
you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
for I shall again praise him,
my help and
my God.
7. Final Prayer
Lord Jesus,
we thank for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the
Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to
practice that which your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, your
mother, not only listen to but also practise the Word. You who live and reign
with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
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