Dear Friends in Christ,
As we enter Lent’s second week, we reflect upon the events of Jesus’ Transfiguration in this Sunday’s Gospel. In this dramatic theophany, Jesus’ Resurrection is shown in advance to Peter, James and John to deepen their faith and increase their trust in God’s plan as they soon would be
facing the sorrows of Holy Thursday night and Good Friday.
When we face the sorrows and difficulties of our lives, do we remember God’s blessings? Sometimes, our sufferings can be so dire that we completely forget that we have had joy in our lives in the past. Serious suffering may even make us question our faith. We may wonder “If God is real, how can He allow me or someone I love to be in this much pain?”
At Jesus’ Baptism and His Transfiguration, God made public the fact that Jesus “was God’s beloved Son.” God also said that He was “pleased” with Jesus. Jesus was also
completely sinless. He had no original or personal sin throughout His life.
Yet, Jesus was not protected from suffering. Though God loved Him and was pleased with Him, Jesus still endured His Passion, Crucifixion and death. Jesus’ Transfiguration, however, shows us that with God suffering and death are never the last word.
At the Transfiguration, Jesus showed a select few of His friends what would happen on Easter morning, which no disciple would be present to see. This vision of Easter joy was meant give them hope when all hope was lost. Through the Transfiguration, Jesus showed His friends that our
human perception is often quite limited. Things are not as they appear. With God, all things are possible, including new life after suffering and death.
Through Baptism, we die with Christ so that we may later share in His resurrection. As we continue on our Lenten journey, let us allow the Transfiguration of the Lord to give us hope, trust and deeper faith as we experience the inevitable sufferings of the human condition.
In Christ,
Fr. Michael