Second Sunday of Lent
Jesus was making his final journey toward Jerusalem. Please don’t take this lightly. The gospel of Matthew describes Jesus’ ministry as a purposeful journey toward Jerusalem. Jesus was purposefully and decisively moving toward Jerusalem. Even though he did go to Jerusalem with his parents for the Passover, and he is found at the temple in Jerusalem for one of the temptations, most of Jesus’ ministry was in the Galilee area. It was not a purposeless wandering. Jesus’ entire ministry was an intentional, purposeful, and decisive movement toward Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, his life and God’s plan for salvation would move toward a decisive climax. In Jerusalem, he would also meet his end. The Transfiguration happened right before he entered Jerusalem for the last time.
In this homily, I would like to do a brief exegesis of the Transfiguration account and offer three practical implications.
Transfiguration: A Revelation
First, Matthew says, “After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain” (Mt 17:1). “Six days” is not just a timeline. Six days was how long Moses was on Mount Sinai before the Lord called out to Moses. Second, that Jesus led the disciples up a high mountain is not merely a geographical detail. God called Moses up mount Sinai, and it was there that God’s greatest and most profound self-revelation took place along with the giving of the Ten Commandments. Third, when Jesus was transfigured, Moses and Elijah were found conversing with him. Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the prophets. Their appearance together meant that Jesus is being presented as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.
But there is an even greater revelation. Just like it happened in Sinai, a bright cloud cast a shadow over the mountain and the disciples. Then, a voice spoke to the disciples in the same way that God spoke to Moses. The voice said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Mt 17:5). If at Sinai God revealed the Law, on the Transfiguration mountain God revealed his beloved Son, Jesus the Christ.
Let us connect all this to the Jesus’ journey toward Jerusalem. Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the mountain because he would soon face his suffering and death. Before this happened, God revealed Jesus’ identity, his glory, indeed God’s entire plan of salvation to his closest disciples. It would have implications for them, and it has implications for us.
Life Transforming Revelation
First, the Transfiguration is primarily a revelation event. It tells us that Jesus who came to us as the incarnated Word, is indeed God. Just as God’s revelation to Moses on Sinai revealed God, the Transfiguration reveals the full meaning of Jesus’ life and ministry. It tells us that our redemption lies in the simple-yet-unfathomable truth – that God shared our humanity so that by Jesus’ death and resurrection we might share in God’s divinity. The practical implication for us is that we must let the revelation of Jesus as Messiah become integral to the goal, the meaning, and purpose of our life. If Jesus became human, died and rose again so that human might become divine, then our daily life must be lived towards this call. Jesus must become an inalienable part of each day, each moment. and of every breath, so that our lives become more and more like his. In this lies redemption.
Second, the Transfiguration account inspire us to reflect on our life journey. Christian discipleship is not an aimless wandering. It is a moving towards our own Jerusalem – intentionally, purposefully, and decisively. There is a key to this intentionality. It comes from becoming part of the Jesus story. Often, we try to fit Jesus into our story. When we try to fit Jesus into our story, we want to lead Jesus where we want to go. It is like the disciples who wanted Jesus to stay on the mountain with them. But they had to learn something that day. Christian discipleship is not about making Jesus part of our story. Rather, Christian discipleship is becoming part of the Jesus story. Christian discipleship is to follow wherever he leads us, even down the mountain, all the way to the cross.
Third, when the disciples had heard the voice from the cloud and they were afraid. At this Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid” (Mt 17:7). Even though Jesus has just participated in the very glory of God, he does not lose his humanity. He touched the fear-filled disciples, reassured them and comforted them. And then, he walked ahead of them as he led them down the mountain to live the rest of his life with them. As we try to life our live meaningfully and purposefully, we realize that following Christ is no easy task. We too can be afflicted by fear, confronted by uncertainty, and confounded by the complexities of life. In these moments, Jesus come to us. He touches us and says, “Rise, do not be afraid.” And then, he himself walks ahead of us. He reassures us, comforts us, and becomes the very meaning of our lives.
Let us allow the revelation of Jesus as the Christ become an alienable part of our lives. Let us become part of the story of Jesus. May we allow him to lead to our heavenly Jerusalem.
- Fr. Satish Joseph