Our incentive for change

Today, the Second Sunday of Lent, we hear proclaimed the magnificent story of the Transfiguration of the Lord. In my early years I couldn’t understand the significance of the Transfiguration. What did it all mean in the life of Jesus – and what bearing did it have on my own life?

In Today’s Office of Readings from the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours there is a beautiful reflection written by Pope Saint Leo the Great on this luminous mystery in the life of Christ. Here is an excerpt:

The Law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The Lord reveals his glory in the presence of chosen witnesses. His body is like that of the rest of mankind, but he makes it shine with such splendour that his face becomes like the sun in glory, and his garments as white as snow.

The great reason for this transfiguration was to remove the scandal of the cross from the hearts of his disciples, and to prevent the humiliation of his voluntary suffering from disturbing the faith of those who had witnessed the surpassing glory that lay concealed. With no less forethought he was also providing a firm foundation for the hope of holy Church. The whole body of Christ was to understand the kind of transformation that it would receive as his gift. The members of that body were to look forward to a share in that glory which first blazed out in Christ their head.

In other words, God wanted us to see what our future glory will be like. Amazing! St. Leo says that we can look forward to "a share in that glory which first blazed out in Christ, our head." Jesus was giving us a firm foundation for our hope - our hope in eternal life and how our bodies will be glorified with Him in Heaven. God gives us the grace-filled season of Lent for our spiritual growth and renewal, to help us turn away from our sins. We want to be with the Lord for all eternity. Now is the time to take those steps we need to take (confession, mending relationships etc.) in order to make sure that we do!

P. S. In the midst of our own sufferings, let us remember the Transfiguration and take from it the hope that the Apostles received on that mountain, remembering that after the Cross comes the Resurrection.