February 28, 2010 2nd Sunday of Lent Gen. 15:5-12, 17-18; Phil. 3:17-4:1; Lk. 9:28-36 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Readings:    http://www.usccb.org/nab/022810.shtml   ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________       The account of Jesus’ transfiguration describes one moment when those disciples closest to him were granted a glimpse into his identity and the glory that was his. Here we have an instance of divine revelation. The voice from heaven identifies Jesus as “my chosen son.” Though this account describes the glorification of Jesus, its primary focus is his suffering and death. The Transfiguration demonstrates the glorious value of Jesus’ suffering and death.   This story reminds us that the extent of God’s love for us is revealed in the suffering and death of Jesus, which, though painted in hues of defeat and disgrace, is really an image of unimaginable victory and glory. Realizing this, we must learn to look behind the faces of those who suffer defeat and disgrace, in order to find there the face of the unrecognized Jesus.   Paul speaks of a kind of transfiguration that occurs in those who accept Christ. They become conformed to him. And what might this look like? Paul risks appearing arrogant when he instructs the Philippians to be “imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us.” In other words, God is revealed to us through the goodness of others.   This certainly has been our experience. We all know people whose lives are extraordinary examples of unquestionable integrity, unselfish service of others, generosity and dependability. Usually such people will not even recognize the “glory” that shines forth from them. They will insist that they are only living ordinary lives, and they probably are. But it is the way they are living these lives that makes them so extraordinary.   Lent reminds us every year that our lives are journeys, ultimately through death to new life, when “he will change our lowly body to conform to his glorifed body” (Phil. 3:21). It also challenges us to deep experiences of prayer and a sense of God’s presence that equip us for the daily, mundane and often tedious journeys of our lives.   The mountaintop remains in the background; vision is remembered rather than relived, and yet a voice rings in our ears, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”   <<   Previous: 1st Sunday of Lent  | Next: 3rd Sunday of Lent >>   Go Back to SERMONS (Year C)