Transfiguration: Forestate and Reminder

Second Sunday of Lent Year C
March 3, 2007
Reading I: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
Responsorial Psalm: 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14
Reading II: Philippians 3:17-4:1 or 3:20-4:1
Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36

For the last three months of being an Assistant Priest here at St. Andrew’s showed me glimpse or foretaste of the glory and hardship of what it is being a priest. Through the leadership of Fr. Frank as parish priest, God showed me the enormous responsibilities of being a priest. Other than celebrating Mass everyday, officiating baptisms, funerals and wedding, priest has to manage the financial stability of the parish; he has to deal with individual needs of people who seek for his counsel and help.

I realise that life of a priest is really a challenging life, and it is a life of sacrifice. But, other than life of sacrifice, God showed me the glory and consolation of the being a priest, by being part of people’s lives, by receiving constant support and encouragement from the people, and of course by sharing friendships with the parishioners, with you.

I was thinking last night after I said my evening prayer inside my room how my simple life has changed – from being simple student in the Philippines, my life has changed to a complex reality of being a priest in a foreign country.

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I’d like to highlight the word “change” as we reflect upon today’s readings.

Both the second reading and the gospel speak of a “change.” The second reading speaks of the change of our earthly existence in the final consummation. St. Paul was saying that Jesus Christ will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body.

The Gospel speaks of the change of Jesus as he prayed on the holy mountain. We heard about the experience of the three Apostles, Peter, Andrew and John, when they saw before their eyes the transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus’ face completely changed in appearance and his clothes became dazzling white.

What the Apostles saw of Jesus was his glorified body and divine glory. When they heard the voice of the Father, the first person of the Trinity, from the cloud saying, This is my chosen Son; listen to him, this gave them a momentary prevision or a foretaste of Christ’s future glory. Jesus is not just a human being, he is human and divine.

Why did Jesus allow his disciples to catch sight of his divinity, his inner being? Jesus has a purpose why he transfigured, why his face changed before his Apostles. He didn’t do this just show off to his Apostles his glory and power. Jesus wanted to strengthen his Apostles in preparation for the ordeal awaiting them in Jerusalem. Christ is readying his Apostles and his followers not to lose their faith when they see him suffer, being mocked, crucified, and when they witness his death on the cross. He wanted his followers to remember that after his passion and death there would be his glorious resurrection.

The glimpse of Christ’s future glory was given to these Apostles to strengthen and encourage them, when their former normal lives change into a life of sacrifice, the experience of hardships, persecutions and terrible tests of their faith. History tells us that the Apostles didn’t have an easy life. They gave up their possessions, they left their loved ones and their homeland, they also gave up their lives…

The readings for today especially the Gospel encourage and strengthen us to persevere in any hardships we are facing in our life. Whether you are priest, married or single, we have our own individual hardships and sacrifices in life.


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I mentioned that life of a priest is a life of sacrifice. But I am also aware that every state of life also has a sacrifice of its own. Life is not always easy; each of us have our own struggles and difficulties in life. Whether you are priest, married or single, we have our own individual hardships and sacrifices in life.

Christ understands our individual suffering more than we do. Jesus wants to show us today, especially this Lenten season that even in the midst of life’s suffering there is always hope available for us.

His Transfiguration signifies that Jesus is the glory hidden in our everyday lives. The Church is teaching us especially during this Lenten season that our penance and sacrifice can earn for us a glorious and unending future life.

So, let us not lose courage and trust in God. Do not let our anxiety, fear and lack of faith triumph over us. Our worries and troubles in life are nothing when compared with the assurance and certainty we have in the next life.

Let us thank our divine Lord today for giving this consoling and encouraging vision of his glory, his Transfiguration, to his Apostles and through them to us. For in Jesus’ Transfiguration, we saw a guarantee and a foretaste, a glimpse of the joys and the glory that will be ours for eternity.

The good news is we have today is the reality that like Jesus our life will also change into its glorious beauty forever, but only if we allow Jesus to take us to his journey…

Amen.