TRANSFIGURATION
Happy 2nd Sunday of Lent. How’s the progress with your spiritual disciplines of Lent so far?
Today’s Gospel Reading at Mass in Mark 9:2-10 recounts the awe-inspiring account of the Transfiguration of Jesus. In His Transfiguration, Peter, James & John caught a glimpse of the Glory of Jesus, with Moses (representing the Law) & Elijah (representing the Prophets) appearing with Him & talking with Him. And the climax of this encounter was the Theophany on Mount Tabor, with the coming of the cloud & the voice of God saying “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to Him.” (Mark 9:7)
The Transfiguration gave Jesus the visible & audible assurance of His Father’s love, affirming Him & providing Him with strength to face His impending passion, suffering & death. It also moved the hearts of the apostles deeply – recall that earlier in Mark Chapter 8:31, later in Chapter 9 Verse 30 to 32 after the Transfiguration & again in Mark 10:32-34, Jesus 3 times foretells His suffering & death & also His resurrection on the third day. This glimpse into the future glory of the risen & transfigured Christ gave them the vision & assurance of hope & victory for the future times when they too would have to suffer, be persecuted & even put to death, in the footsteps of their Lord & Master.
What about us? Can we cling to our faith that God will save & deliver us, & lead us from our various trials & suffering to risen life with Jesus? Or will the challenges be so traumatic that we throw up our hands in desperation & lose hope? When it’s down to crunch-time, like Abraham in our First Reading today of Genesis Chapter 22, when he was commanded by God to sacrifice His beloved son Isaac, can we have the faith of Abraham to obey & trust God? To believe that God would be faithful to His promise to grant him descendants through Isaac, though he was asked to sacrifice him? Indeed, Abraham surrendered Isaac into God’s hands & believed that “God is able even to raise someone from the dead—and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back” (cf Hebrews 11:19). And Isaac’s life was spared.
As we continue along our Lenten journey, let our hearts experience the grace of conversion & a greater faith, hope & trust in our loving God. May we move from the valley of doubt, fear & despair into the light of Risen Life with Jesus. May the Holy Spirit move us to declare like St Paul in today’s 2nd Reading: “With God on our side, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
Here’s a great hymn called ‘Transfiguration” for your listening & prayer time.
https://youtu.be/XgzE9vjdaow?si=kGrQrbtqM34ZweL1
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead