2nd Sunday of Lent - Transfiguration

 

Have you ever been camping, and after you pitched the tent, then later, during the night, someone walks up to you holding a portable lantern near their face, and you see their face shining in the night?

Today, we have the account of the Transfiguration, and we get a glimpse into His divinity. Six days after predicting His death and resurrection, when Peter, James, and John climbed a high mountain, called Mount Tabor, He shows His glory to them. It wasn’t during the night, but during the day, when Jesus face shone like the sun and His clothes became dazzling white, and they could see Jesus in all His glory.

In a flash the disciples eyes are opened. They can see who Jesus really is. He is more than a rabbi, a miraculous healer, or gifted preacher. He is greater than even Moses or Elijah! Jesus is God.

During this event, they saw Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus. Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the prophets. Jesus, as God, and messiah, represents the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.

By revealing His glory, Jesus showed them what it would be like when He rose from the dead. Seeing this, gave the disciples strength during the hard times to see Jesus suffer and die. That’s because they would understand Jesus would come back in glory, and we will too, when we are in heaven with Jesus.

Jesus’s disciples didn’t fully grasp their mountaintop vision or how they would need to cling to it as Jesus headed toward the Cross. They didn’t know how their faith would be tested or how important it was that Jesus was more than a just man. And they didn’t know what Jesus meant when He said He would die and rise again. But Jesus knew. That’s why He told them to keep the revelation to themselves until He had risen from the dead.

In His transfiguration, Jesus was giving His disciples a gift to sustain them for the day of His crucifixion. On that day there would not be three tents, but three crosses. Jesus would not stand between Moses and Elijah he would hang between two thieves on the cross. On that day they would abandon their teacher and Lord to His cruel end. But Jesus’ transfiguration no only helped the disciples during His crucifixion. Even more, it foreshadowed an even greater revelation of His divinity: the resurrection!

Jesus’ glory was just as present on the Cross as it was on the mountaintop. The disciples just couldn’t see it. They needed a heavenly perspective and so do we. That’s why Jesus invites us to go up to the mountain every day for a glimpse of His glory: to see Jesus, the Son of God, who will be with us always, to the end of time.

When you have a difficult time, remember what Easter will be like, when we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead.

So whether you’re at Mass or gazing upon Jesus during Eucharistic Adoration, look to Jesus today.

Ask Him to open your eyes. Let Him strengthen your faith and fill you with hope!

Oh, Virgin Mary, during difficult times in my life, just as you gazed upon your dead Son on the Cross, and knew you would see Him risen from the dead, help me to look forward to seeing the glory of Jesus in heaven.