St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Pastor: Fr. John Lyons Adult Religious Education

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1 St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Pastor: Fr. John Lyons Adult Religious Education February 24, nd SUNDAY OF LENT Genesis 15:5-12,17-18; Ps 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 9:28b-36 Rev. Joseph A. Pellegrino Lord Jesus, we thank you for your presence among us, strengthening and encouraging us on our way. Make us aware of your presence in us and enable us to respond to your promptings in all that we do. You speak to us through the words of the gospels. May we respond to your call today. Teach us to recognize your hand at work in our daily living. Amen 2 nd Lent: The Divine Sculpture How am I to know that I shall possess the lands you tell me you are giving me? Abram asked God. Abram received the covenant with God in a mystical way. He was told to make a very large sacrifice, but not in the normal manner. He was to sacrifice a heifer, a goat, a ram, a turtledove and a pigeon, but instead of burning them, he had to cut them in half, except for the birds. Then we have this scene of Abraham spending the day keeping the vultures away from the carcasses, no small job. Evening came and Abram fell into a trance. God provided the fire for the immolation of the sacrifice. A smoking pot and a flaming torch passed through them. The covenant was sealed with the action of the spiritual. Jesus, Peter, John and James, go up a mountain to pray. Then the spiritual meets the physical. Jesus face changes, his clothes become dazzling white, and Moses and Elijah appear. They speak about the Exodus, but not the deliverance of the Hebrew people from Egypt that Moses led fifteen hundred years earlier, but the Exodus that would begin in Jerusalem, the deliverance of the people from the grasp of evil. And Paul tells the Philippians not to be tied to the world. They are much more than that, much better than that. Jewish dietary laws and the rite of circumcision have become more important for those who are tied to the world than the reasons behind these actions. As a result they are only concerned with following the dietary laws. Their god is their belly. They boast about the rite of circumcision. Their glory is their shame. You though, Paul says, Are so much better than that. You don t belong to this world. You belong to the spiritual world. Our citizenship is in heaven. Our Savior will come from there to restore the world to God s original plan. We belong to the spiritual. We belong to God. We are made in the image and likeness of God. But the image of God, our capacity to be spiritual, is hidden deep within us. The Lord will reveal it, though, if we let Him. 1

2 There is a story about a Parisian who went for a walk to the outskirts of the city when he heard hammering and chipping coming from a large home. He was bold enough to walk across the large front yard and peer into the door. It was the studio of the famous sculpture, Auguste Rodin. You know Rodin as the sculptor of the piece we call The Thinker, maybe you know his work the Burgers of Calais; he had many, many wonderful works of art, my favorite is his Hand of God. Anyway, the man had the nerve to walk into the studio and interrupt Rodin at his work. Excuse me, he said, but how exactly do you do that? Do what? Rodin asked, somewhat perturbed. How do you create such beautiful works? the man asked. I d love to be a sculptor myself. Rodin was perturbed, his work was interrupted by this uninvited stranger. He was about to explode in anger, but he calmed himself and just said to the man, Well, let s say that you wanted to do a sculpture of an elephant. Yes, said the man, how would I do that? It is simple, Rodin said, You just get a very large block of marble, you get a set of chisels and a few hammers, and then you chip off everything on the block that doesn t look like an elephant. Rodin was being sarcastic. But the method of creating a masterpiece described in the story is not that far away from the work the Divine Sculptor does on us. Each of us is created in the image and likeness of God. But that image is hidden in the hard rock that is our resistance to God. The Lord chips away on us. He hammers out our selfishness. How can we be followers of the one who sacrificed all for love and be selfish? The negative drives within us are also chipped away, our anger, our greed, our lust, our jealousy. When we commit to the Lord, the Divine Sculptor chips it all away. That is why He came. He came to remove all that which is not the image and likeness of God and reveal each of us as the masterpiece God intends us to be. May he make of us an eternal offering to you, we pray in the Third Eucharistic Prayer. Jesus transforms us into a gift to the Father. Allowing him to work on us, remove all that is not the image and likeness of God, is the work of our lives, work that intensifies during the season of Lent. In the second Lenten preface we pray, As we recall the great events that gave us new life in Christ you bring the image of your Son to perfection within us. There is an old expression, God is not through with me yet. It is true. He is still chipping away at each of us. Sometimes we are impatient with ourselves. We want to be better, but we don t see it happening. We are fighting our anger, but still lose our temper. We are fighting against a sinful manner of living, but still feel the intensity of the temptation to fall back into the destructive patterns of life we had embraced. We have to be patient with ourselves. We need to realize that God is working on us, each of us. On the negative side, if we fall, He picks us up, and we learn the location of the stumbling stone. And we can avoid falling there again. And He chips away a part of us that is not His Image and Likeness. Or, on 2

3 the positive side, people come into our lives who need special help, significant actions of love. Maybe it s the old man down the block whose wife died and has no one to look in on him. We make him a part of our lives, going over to his home frequently just to chat, perhaps getting his groceries, whatever, and the Lord chips away and a beautiful image of His Presence begins to emerge from the hard stone. Perhaps, a member of our family is going through a difficult time, physically, psychologically, emotionally. We bite our tongues, try to be as understanding as possible, and the Lord keeps chipping away on us. We can all add many examples of ways both positive and negative that the Lord is transforming us. We belong to the Kingdom of God. We are made in His Image and Likeness. We are physical and spiritual. We have our citizenship in heaven. Jesus Christ is transforming us into an everlasting gift to the Father. The Divine Sculptor s work will not be unveiled until our mission on earth is complete. What will we look like if we let Him complete His Work? Well, we also will be transfigured. This material is used with permission of its author, Rev. Joseph A. Pellegrino, Diocese of St. Petersburg, FL 2nd Sunday of Lent Cycle C The information and commentary presented each week on this page are notes for the Wednesday Scripture Class held at St Charles Borromeo 1000 Goodyear Blvd Picayune, MS Rev Mike Snyder, Pastor. These notes are not intended to be used in isolation but as background information for the readings and starting points for group discussion. Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage. 1st Reading - Genesis 15:5-12, In today s first reading we hear of God s first covenant with Abram. In Genesis 12:1-2, God had made a three-fold promise of blessing to Abram: nationhood, dynasty (name), and worldwide blessing. These promises were then secured by covenants. Abram was called at the age of 75 when the Lord told him Leave your country, your people and your father s household and go to the land I will show you (Genesis 12:1). Abram obediently set out with Sari his wife, Lot his nephew, and all the possessions and servants (slaves) they had acquired and went to Canaan. Canaan was occupied by the descendants of Canaan the son of Ham (who was one of the three sons of Noah) and brother of Cush, Egypt, and Put. Canaan was cursed by Noah because of his (Canaan s) father s actions when he discovered Noah drunk in his tent (Genesis 9:25). Because of the curse, the Canaanites were thought to be subject people of the Semites (descendants of Shem, the firstborn of the three sons of Noah). After living in Canaan, Abram fled to Egypt to escape the famine in Canaan. While in Egypt Abram passed Sari off as his sister and she was incorporated into Pharaoh s harem. Because of this, God inflicted serious diseases upon Pharaoh and his household. Pharaoh then learned of the deception and expelled Abram and Sari and all their possessions. 3

4 Abram and Lot then separated and Lot went to live near Sodom while Abram returned to Canaan. Four kings defeated five kings (an indication of their power) and took Lot prisoner. Upon hearing of Lot s capture, Abram took his 318 trained men and defeated the four kings who had defeated the five kings. When he returned, he was blessed by Melchizedek, the king of Salem and priest of God Most High. Hebrew tradition has it that Melchizedek was Shem. If this was the case, the blessing was the blessing of the firstborn son of Noah; the same blessing which was later fought over by Esau and Jacob. This brings us up to the time of our reading today, some years after Abram started on his journey. Abram (the name means father who is exalted ) and Sari remain childless although God had promised him the first time he arrived in Canaan that He would give the land to his offspring. Abram has despaired to God that he has no offspring and that his servant will inherit his estate. God now makes His promise into a covenant. 5 He took him outside and said: Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so, he added, shall your descendants be. Abram will have descendants too numerous to count. 6 Abram put his faith in the LORD, Accepted God s plan with assurance even though realization of it seems unlikely. After all, Abram is years old and Sari herself is no spring chicken. who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. Many fundamentalists point to this as proof of justification by faith, not works. Abram s actions years earlier shows obedience (works) long before any declaration of faith. Justification is not a legal declaration, but sonship. The justified must live the obedient life of a son. 7 He then said to him, I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession. This is the same formula is used in Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 5:6; Leviticus 25:38, where it refers to the bringing out of Egypt. God did the bringing, Abram acted in obedience. 8 O Lord GOD, he asked, How am I to know that I shall possess it? 9 He answered him, Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon. 10 He brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. From Jeremiah 34:18, we know that the covenanting parties passed between the parts, showing their willingness to share the fate of the animals should they disobey the terms of the covenant. 11 Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. Symbols of the dangers that will threaten the covenant. Abram defends the covenant by chasing them away. 4

5 12 As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. A sign of divine intervention. Adam was also in a deep sleep when Eve was created (Genesis2:21). 17 When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking brazier and a flaming torch, God s divine presence. Recall that God appeared to Moses as a flame at the burning bush; to the Jews during the exodus as a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night. which passed between those pieces. The ritual act of swearing the covenant. God takes the part of both parties signifying that man is not strong enough to hold up his end of the covenant without divine help. 18 It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, A family bond. Not a promise or contract, something much more important and binding. Cannot be canceled or annulled. saying: To your descendants I give this land, Assures later Israel of the possession of the land. The Israelites cannot be a nation if they do not possess the land. This secures the first promise to Abram in Genesis 12:2. This covenant was fulfilled in Moses who brought the twelve tribes to the promised land. from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River (the Euphrates). The borders were traditional in Solomon s time (1 Kings 4:21). Israel today bases their claim on this passage showing right to title. 2nd Reading - Philippians 3:17-4:1 Our epistle reading today comes from Paul s warning against false teachers. The adversaries would seem to be Judaizers itinerant preachers, who in the name of a higher perfection seek to impose upon Gentile converts the Levitical practices which were outdated (abrogated) by the new covenant; the covenant by which we were made children of God and were no longer His slaves. 3:17 Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers [and sisters], Paul doesn t hesitate to propose himself for imitation since he himself is an imitator of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us. Stick to the teachings of the Church and follow those who adhere to them. Do not look for 5

6 easier and/or what appears to be more realistic teachings. 18 For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. When the false teachers teach something different than the Church, they deny the efficacy of Christ s sacrifice on the cross. If it were not for the sacrifice there would be no new covenant nor would there be the family meal to eat which makes us a party to the covenant and a member of God s family. 19 Their end is destruction. When the end times come, these people will be ruined; cast forever from heaven. Their God is their stomach; This is either a reference to Jewish dietary laws or a concern for keeping themselves well fed. Recall that when Jesus sent out the 70 (some translations say 72) they were to take nothing with them as they traveled but were to depend daily upon those to whom they ministered. their glory is in their shame. To boast of circumcision is to glory in something which one otherwise modestly covers. Their minds are occupied with earthly things. All the Levitical rules belonging to the old covenant are now superseded by Christ. To adopt Jewish practices is not outright paganism but regard for such practices would be the equivalent of a reversion to reverence for the elemental spirits. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, We are sons of God, co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The parousia (Acts 1:11; 3:21). 21 He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body The bodies of Christians, now partaking in the morality of present life cannot enter the final glory without transformation (see 1 Corinthians 15:50). The risen Christ is the example as well as the agent of the true humanity God intended for human beings from the start (Romans 8:19-21). When we rise and are changed and are made spiritual in soul, body and spirit (for all these three make up one man and are one spirit), the body in which we have been humbled will be raised. It will be of the same and equal form to the body of Christ s own glory. So too we shall be spirits as he himself is a spirit. [Marius Victorinus (ca. A.D. 355), Epistle to the Philippians 3,21] 6

7 by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself. See Psalm 8:6 (8:7 in The New American Bible) the messianic reign of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:25-28). 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved. Do not be seduced away from the new existence now enjoyed in the Lord. Gospel - Luke 9:28b-36 The story we hear today we will hear again on August 6t h, the Transfiguration of Christ. The time is about one year prior to Jesus death and resurrection. He has fed the five thousand, fed the four thousand, walked on water, delivered His bread of life discourse, and Peter has made his revelation at Caesarea Philippi You are the Christ. Jesus has just bestowed upon Peter the name of Rock (kepha), promised to build His church upon this rock, and given Peter the ability to bind and loose. About eight days after this, today s reading occurs. 28b [Jesus] took Peter, John, and James The inner circle of disciples. Peter is always listed first, showing primacy. and went up the mountain to pray. This account is structured to show a parallel with Moses who went up Mount Sinai to talk with God (burning bush) and to receive the ten commandments. Why did He take the three disciples with Him? A life and death moment requires two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6). 29 While he was praying Often in Luke Jesus is portrayed at prayer before an important decision: election of the twelve (6:12); Peter s revelation (9:18); instruction on prayer (11:1), the agony in the garden (22:41); and on the cross (23:46). his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. The various translations of the Bible give an interesting description: white and glistening (King James Version); bright as a flash of lightening (New International Version); sparkling white (New Jerusalem Bible). See also Mark 9:3. 30 And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, Two witnesses from the old covenant: Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the prophets. The Old Testament scriptures are fully represented. Elijah is to herald the coming of the Messiah [Malachi 4:5 (3:23 in The New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible)]. 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. 7

8 Saint Luke is the only one of the Gospel writers to tell us what Jesus, Moses and Elijah were discussing Jesus mission to go to Jerusalem and be crucified, then spend 40 days on earth before ascending. 32 Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, Moses and Elijah had come to speak to Jesus only. but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Peter is not anxious for this to end. A reference to the feast of tabernacles (see Zechariah 14:16). But he did not know what he was saying. 34 While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. The cloud is a symbol of God s presence. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, This is my chosen Son; listen to him. This is the central point of this reading. Moses and Elijah (representatives of the old covenant) have left and Jesus remains to institute the new covenant. Just like Mary said at the wedding feast at Cana, Do whatever He tells you. See also Hebrews 1: After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen. St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS [C] Second Sunday of Lent Genesis 15:5-12,17-18; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 9:28b-36 Hans Urs von Balthasar 1. They talked about his end" The present reading of the story of the Transfiguration is the only one that reports anything of the contents of the transfigured Lord's conversation with Moses and Elijah. They talked about Jesus' death, that is, about the most important of the events of the world's salvation. The entire scene relates to his death: Jesus reveals himself in changed form to his disciples because he has already predicted his death to them. The Father's voice from heaven designating the chosen Son also points toward his redemptive act on the Cross. And if the disciples in the end see Jesus alone again, they know now what a fullness of mystery is concealed by his simple form. Enclosed within him are his relationship to the entire Old Covenant and his constant relationship to the Father and the Spirit, which has also overshadowed the disciples as representatives of the Church to come. His transfiguration is no anticipation of his Resurrection (when his body is transformed toward God), rather, it is just the opposite-it is the presence of the triune God 8

9 and all of salvation history in his body, which is destined for the Cross. In his transfigured body the covenant between God and mankind is sealed with finality. 2. A deep, uncanny fear came over him." On the mountain of the Transfiguration, the disciples first fell asleep, then were overcome by fear. That is how it is when God comes so near to man. The first reading returns to the first covenant, which was concluded in an original ceremony between God and Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel. It was preceded by the Lord's words of promise, just as in the Gospel reading Jesus' prediction of the Cross preceded the Transfiguration. The sealing of God's promise to Abraham takes place in an archaic ceremony that is known to have been performed by other nations. What is important here is the deep sleep and the fear, which are signs of the numinous character of the event and which, like the Transfiguration of the Lord, essentially point ahead to the fulfillment of God's promise: the gift of the Promised land and the expanse of the Kingdom. Both events are not closed in upon themselves but point both backward and forward. 3. "Our homeland is in heaven." The second reading establishes the provisionality of all human existence, a provisionality which now, like the Transfiguration, points ahead. Whoever establishes himself in the flesh is "an enemy of the Cross of Christ". But whoever follows Christ, expects his return from heaven, where Christ has his homeland already, in anticipation of ours. Heaven is no worldless place, rather it is that place where "our lowly body" will assume the "form of his glorified body", where the Creator's world will take on its final form as the Redeemer's world. Here we will be integrated with finality into the embodied covenant between God and creation in Jesus Christ, who in himself gives body to this covenant between God and man, heaven and earth. F r o m L i g h t o f t h e W o r d b y H U v o n B a l t h a s a r 1993, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, Used with Permission, All Rights Reserved Father Phillip Bloom Freedom from False Gods (Homily for Second Sunday of Lent, Year C) Bottom line: It is not too late to make this the best Lent ever: Even a small sacrifice can give God an entry point to free us from false gods. The season of Lent brings to mind a fond memory of my mom. At the beginning of Lent, I went to Camano for my weekly visit to her and my brother, Louie. On the way I stopped at a bakery to buy some of her favorite pastries. After the regular greeting, I showed her the pastries. They were layered, with semi-sweet raspberry jam and chocolate. Mom looked at them and after a moment's silence, she said. "It's Lent. I gave up pastries for Lent." 9

10 "That's OK," I said. "Louie and I will eat them. But one of the Hispanic ladies works at Seattle Chocolates. She sent some for you." Maybe you have tasted Seattle Chocolates - they are the best chocolates on the planet. My mom looked and after another pause, said, "I gave up candy too." You know, if my mom - who was almost eighty years old at the time - could give up pastries and chocolate, what about us? This is the Second Sunday of Lent. It is not too late to make this the best Lent ever. Today we hear Moses and Elijah speaking to Jesus about his "exodus" - what would happen in Jerusalem: Namely, his suffering, death and resurrection. There's no resurrection without suffering and death. Lent reminds us that we have to die to self, to base desires, in order to live for God. To speak plainly, we have to embrace the cross. St. Paul tells us today that, sadly, some former Christians have become "enemies of the cross." Instead of serving God, he says, "Their God is their stomach." What does St. Paul mean by that? How can food become an idol, a false god? Let me try to explain. God created the earth to produce food - in abundance. Food has two purposes: The first - and most obvious - is to nourish our bodies, to keep them healthy so that we can do the tasks God wants. The second purpose is to create bonds between people. Notice how often Jesus shared meals: with Zacchaeus and Matthew the tax collectors, with Pharisees and public sinners - and above all the Supper with his disciples the night before his death. A lot more happened at those meals than simple nourishment. Like Jesus, we should share - and enjoy - meals with family, friends and fellow parishioners. God uses food for important purposes. At the same time, we can misuse food, make it into a false god. That's what St. Paul refers to when he says some have become enemies of the cross - "their god is their stomach." Rather than eating to live, they live to eat. Here are some signs that food has become a false god: --I plan my day around food. --I get irritated if I don't get the food I want, when I want it. --I insist on food being prepared "just right." --I never experience hunger because I am always eating junk food. --Meanwhile, fruit and vegetables spoil in the fridge - because I avoid them. --I choose fast food over a family meal. --I dive into food so quickly that I don't thank God by saying grace. And... --Instead of enjoying the meal I am eating, I am thinking about...my next meal! These are signs that food has become an idol - and that I am becoming one of those sad people: "Their god is their stomach." From the list of signs you can see that the sin of gluttony involves more than overeating. Gluttony happens when we make food the center, rather than God. Glutton is idolatry - making food into a false god. 10

11 During Lent God wants to free us from false gods - from all forms of idolatry. If we put God first, other things find their proper place. That includes food. Fasting can help us find the right balance. Giving up some special treat - like my mom giving up pastries and candy - that can help recover the true purpose of God's gift of food. Lent can help one achieve balance and perspective. You notice that Jesus took his disciples up a mountain. From a mountain top, a person gets an expansive view. One thing that perspective will show is how our eating habits fit with everything else. It is a question of balance. I don't want anyone here to obsess about food - to go on a guilt trip over enjoying a Big Mac. Go ahead and do it from time to time. It's no sin - it can be a good thing in itself, especially if it's part of a day with the grandkids. But make sure you put God first - and you will find the right balance. There is a time to fast and a time to feast: A time to give your body good nourishment and to enjoy a delicious meal with family, friends, parishioners. And don't worry so much about your outward appearance. Our bodies don't come with a hundred year warranty. St. Paul assures us God will change our lowly body to conform with Jesus' glorified body. (When that happens, I personally hope to get muscles and a full head of hair like some the young guys here - but that's another story.) That will only happen, however, if we put God first. God can hardly help us if we belong to a false god. Please don't put your stomach ahead of your eternal soul. I hope my mom's example helps. She loved good food, especially when enjoyed in a family setting. But she also knew a time for fasting. She knew that if we are going to climb God's mountain, we need to leave a few things down below. We cannot take false gods with us. It's not too late to make this the best Lent ever. Even a small sacrifice - embraced with love and good humor - can give God an entry point. He will do the rest. He will free us from false gods and transform us according to the image of his Son. By the cross - and only by the cross - do we come to the resurrection. Father Phillip Bloom is Pastor of St. Mary of the Valley St. Mary of the Valley Catholic Church Monroe, WA. All Rights Reserved. The Transfiguration of Gods Prophet Daniel J. Harrington Second Sunday in Lent (C) And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:30) On the Second Sunday of Lent it is customary to read about the transfiguration of Jesus. This episode emphasizes by way of anticipation the glorious aspects of the risen Jesus while noting that what awaits Jesus in Jerusalem is suffering and death. I want to place today s readings in the context of Luke s concept of salvation history and his portrait of Jesus as the prophet of God. The biblical story of salvation history begins with Abraham in Genesis 12. The first eleven chapters in Genesis tell about the sin of Adam and Eve, the murder of Abel, the flood as a punishment for humankind s sins and the Tower of Babel. Then God begins anew by calling 11

12 Abraham out of his homeland and promises him many descendants and the land of Canaan. The new beginning involved God s choice of a special people and God s entering into a covenantal relationship with them. In today s reading from Genesis 15 (the so-called covenant of the pieces ) God makes a formal covenant (or agreement) with Abraham that is stated as pure promise. We Christians believe that through Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, all peoples can now become part of God s people and share in God s covenantal promises. We believe that those promises go beyond descendants and land to eternal life with God and the direct experience of God s glory as our light and salvation (see Psalm 27) something anticipated in the transfiguration of Jesus. The distinctive way in which Luke tells the story of the transfiguration highlights his perception of Jesus identity as the prophet of God par excellence and adds to his picture of the time of Jesus as the center of salvation history. First, a prophet speaks for God and so must be close to God. At this decisive moment in Jesus public ministry, Luke notes that Jesus went up to a mountain to pray. Indeed, at most of the pivotal moments in Jesus career, Luke notes that he was at prayer. The source of Jesus prophetic ministry is the Holy Spirit, and his relationship with the Father is fostered through prayer. Second, Jesus stands in the tradition of the prophets of old. That is why Moses (representing the law) and Elijah (representing the prophets) appear in the narrative. Moses was God s spokesman, and God had promised to raise up another prophet like Moses (Deut 18:15, 18). Elijah had spoken on God s behalf and did signs and wonders, as Jesus would also do. And in some Jewish circles Elijah was expected to return from heaven as a preliminary to the revelation of God s Messiah. Third, Jesus and the two prophets speak about Jesus immediate future. According to Luke, they were discussing his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. That clearly refers to Jesus suffering and death. But by using the word exodus, Luke alludes to Israel s passage from slavery to freedom under Moses and suggests that Jesus passion and death will lead to his exaltation (resurrection and ascension) and to the possibility of freedom and right relationship with God for us all. Fourth, it is the fate of prophets to be misunderstood and rejected. In this case, Jesus the prophet is misunderstood by his own disciple, Peter. As his suggestion to build three tents for the prophets reveals, Peter mistakenly identifies the present experience of Jesus glory in the transfiguration with the fullness of God s kingdom. In doing so Peter wants to prolong the experience of glory and to bypass the suffering associated with the mystery of the cross. Finally, the heavenly voice identifies Jesus as my chosen Son, and says, Listen to him. The admonition to listen to Jesus as God s prophet echoes the directive in the promise of the new prophet like Moses in Deuteronomy 18. The identity of Jesus the prophet of God and the Holy Spirit are inextricably linked. Jesus the prophet is led by the Spirit. Indeed, during Jesus public ministry, the power of the Spirit is focused on Jesus. Where Jesus is, there is the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus life, death and resurrection the Holy Spirit has been made available to us all, and so we form a prophetic, 12

13 Spirit-led community of faith. As the church of Jesus Christ, we are led by the Holy Spirit and so constitute the people of God. We who live now, in the time of the Holy Spirit and the church, can hope to participate in the glory previewed in the transfiguration of Jesus. In writing to the Philippians, Paul reminds them and us that at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ our lowly body will be conformed with his glorified body. In the meantime we are to recognize that although our citizenship is in heaven, our task in the present is to stand firm in the Lord. Prayer: What significance do you find in the promise character of God s covenant with Abraham? How does the transfiguration narrative foreshadow the events of Holy Week? Where do you find the prophetic dimension of the church today? What impact does it have? Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., is professor of New Testament at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Mass. Reprint from Mar. 4, 2007 Copyright 2013 by America Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Second Sunday of Lent Aidan Nichols O.P. The Last Word Today's Gospel is the story of the Transfiguration, a very untypical example of a Lenten Gospel even if it has occupied this place in the worship of the Roman rite for a long time. The typical Lenten Gospel, surely, is the one we heard last Sunday. In his Wilderness Temptations, Jesus was confronted by the Evil One who presented him with the classic wrong choices made - according to the Old Testament - by Jesus's own people, the House of Israel. Taking up that cue, in Lent we remind ourselves liturgically how horrible the human race has been and is. We call to mind that we share in a general tendency to criminality. This Lent, as every Lent, the newspapers will reinforce the work of the Liturgy for us. They will show us how in human beings everywhere the demons of anger, avarice, lust, jealousy, and pride (and not forgetting gluttony and sloth), live, move, and have their being. But just as we're coming to terms with that in our incipient project of Lenten self-awareness and reform, the Church presents us with the very different (to put it mildly) Gospel of the Transfiguration. The Jesus whom we have just seen - last Sunday, in fact - enveloped by evil is now, this Sunday, bathed in the Glory of God: God's radiance, his bliss, his joy. At the Transfiguration, the deepest reality of Jesus's being broke through and showed itself to his disciples. 13

14 To understand what was going on, we need to share the faith of the Church - as indeed we do to get the hang of the biblical revelation as a whole. So what was going on? The human soul of Jesus had been assumed by the Word of God in the womb of Mary. It was united personally to the Word who had shared the Father's overflowing goodness before all time - and that means before not only Beckham and even Tesco but before the Big Bang and what preceded it (if you think anything did), before - in fact - all worlds. At the Transfiguration, for one brief moment the body of Jesus and even his clothes became the picture of his soul - his soul as united personally to divine being, to the Word, and, through the Word, to the Father. Nothing could be more natural, then, that in this unique moment of the public ministry the disciples saw in him the splendour, the fullness, the authority, of God himself. I don't think there's anything remotely accidental about the way the Church gives us an account of this episode to read in Lent, in the mid-course of Lent. It's an ancient tradition which, fortunately, has survived in the modern Lectionary, and ancient traditions must have a lot going for them if they survive the razor-cuts of modernity and make it into contemporary liturgical life. So why have people - ancient and modern - been so keen on this seeming disparity, this apparent incongruity? The message to us of this Gospel in its unlikely Lenten context is that the last word in the struggle of the Christian life does not in fact lie with struggle. The last word does not belong to coping with temptation. On the contrary, the last word lies with seeing the glory of God. What the holy apostles, or at any rate Peter, James, and John, saw on Mount Tabor (that is the traditional site of the Transfiguration event), we too, if we stay faithful, will see as well. We shall see the glorified humanity of Jesus Christ. That glory was not just an episode. On Tabor, to strengthen those key disciples, there took place an anticipation of a definitive state of affairs. The Lord Jesus has in permanency that humanity and he has it in its transfigured condition. He has it, lives in it, lives as it. True, he continues to carry the marks of the Passion, which are his wondrous trophies. But he is now beyond all suffering, before the Father's Face in the Fire of the Holy Spirit. One day, the Light of Tabor will penetrate our souls, initially to judge them but then, please God, having judged them, to warm them forever. So too in the general Resurrection, when the material cosmos comes to its final goal, that same light will be reflected in the glorification of our bodies also. That is what makes all the struggle worthwhile. The English Province of the Order of Preachers 2013 Used with permission All Rights Reserved Fr. John Riccardo The Transfiguration: A Shield Against Discouragement I keep, above my desk in my office, a sign that has on it words written by St. Boniface a bishop and martyr from the first Christian millennium. Boniface wrote, In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life s 14

15 different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon the ship but to keep her on course... I am terrified, he goes on to say, when I think of all this. I would gladly give up the task of guiding the Church which I have accepted, if I could find such an action warranted by the example of the fathers or by Holy Scripture. But I can t. So let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial. And let us wait upon God s strengthening aid. Those words hang above my desk because, quite frankly, there are days when I want to quit. There are days when I get discouraged in this life of following Jesus (far too easily discouraged, I m sure). The odds against us seem too great at times. The opposing forces, those who conduct themselves as enemies of the cross (as St. Paul writes in our Second Reading), whether in the courts, the media, even the Church, seem too strong. Not only do they seem too strong but they prosper! Those who actively work against God, who mock His commandments, who insult His Son, who make money by trampling on the dignity of the human person created in His own image and likeness prosper! They thrive! They flourish! For those who ve ever felt like I do, the Gospel today is for us. It s proclaimed here today to give us courage in the face of long odds. It s proclaimed here today to help us stand firm in the Lord. It s proclaimed here today to give us a glimpse of the ending, of the glorious outcome not only for Jesus but for each one of us, if we stay close to Him. It s proclaimed here today to help us when our crosses, our struggles, our challenges threaten to overwhelm us. Usually, it s essential to know the context of a passage in Scripture as to most fully understand what is being revealed to us. Unfortunately, at Mass, we hear the Gospel in an isolated manner, totally out of context. Now, it s true that this isn t always so important, but there are times when it s crucial. Today, it s crucial. The Transfiguration of Jesus, during which the Apostles catch a glimpse of His glory and majesty shining through His human nature, when they see Him conversing with two of the greatest figures of the entire Old Testament, happens immediately after Jesus first prediction of His betrayal, suffering, and death and immediately before His second prediction of His betrayal, suffering, and death. We might remember the first prediction. It happens right after Jesus asks the Apostles what the crowds are saying about Him, what the word is out on the street. And then, when He asks them who they think He is, Peter steps up and says, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. But then Jesus goes on to tell them that He the Son of the living God will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes and suffer much and be put to death, and, on the third day, rise from the dead. At this Peter grabs Him and says, Never, Lord! And then Jesus grabs Peter and says, Get behind Me, Satan. You are not thinking as God does but as man does. And if this wasn t shock enough for the Apostles, Jesus goes on to tell them that if anyone would come after Him and be His disciple it will mean sharing in His suffering, it will 15

16 mean taking up his or her own cross, it will mean dying to self. And, only after this will that follower share in Jesus glory. These are rather odd words. This is not exactly a real effective PR campaign. The cross...? That might be just an image for you and me, but it was not just an image for His listeners. His listeners and us could easily become discouraged at the prospect of all this. And so, in the face of all this, while on the mountaintop during the Transfiguration, it s almost as if Jesus was saying to the Apostles, What you are seeing right now is real! Hold on to it! And, in our case, He s saying to us, What you are hearing proclaimed in your midst is real! Hold on to it! However, He goes on to add, before it all finally comes to pass there will be hardships. Remember this day on the mountain when those hardships come. I think that s where we re living now in the midst of hardships, challenges, sufferings of body and spirit, in the midst of carrying our own cross. And this is just the battle inside us. We re living, too, in extraordinary times. There is a growing drive in our own State to reduce the tiniest of human persons to spare parts for others. Huge numbers of people fight for some mysterious right to kill children in the womb, and mock those who dare oppose them. The degradation of women in pornography is defended as a right to free speech. And on and on. The Church, the great ship, is being pounded by the waves. But Jesus calls us to hold on! He calls us never to be ashamed of the cross, which redeemed this world. He tells us not to fear to suffer for the sake of justice. He tells us not to lose confidence in the reward that He has promised. He reminds us all today that the way to rest is through toil. The way to life is through death. And if we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him and one another, we will win the victory He has won. (cf. St. Leo the Great, Sermon 51) May the Scriptures that we have heard, and the Eucharist that we are about to receive, shield and protect us from any and all discouragement. Fr. John Riccardo, Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Plymouth, MI 16