Second Sunday of Lent [Mt 17:1-9]
01.03.2026
The
Transfiguration of Jesus
- Theme in brief:
Attaining
glory through the cross
- Focus Statement:
We can reach the mountain of glory
only after crossing over the valley of suffering, sacrifice and humiliation.
- Explanation of
the text
The main theme
of Christ’s Transfiguration on a mountain (traditionally called
According
to today’s gospel text, Jesus led three of his close disciples – Peter, James
and John – up a high mountain “six days later” (17:1); that is, six days after
he asked the question about his real identity (“Who do you say that I am?”). The
purpose of this question seems to be twofold: (1) to correct their wrong conception
of the Messiah; and (2) to teach them about the inevitability of the cross to attain
glory or to prepare them to face the scandal of the cross.
Since
the unique manifestation of Christ’s glory took place on a mountain, it is clear that it
happened during Jesus’ prayer – as mountain is a symbol of encounter with God
in solitude.
The change that took place in his bodily figure or form (commonly called Transfiguration)
with the shining of his face like the sun and his clothes like dazzling white
(17:2), clearly points to his glorious state after the resurrection. He gave his
disciples a glimpse
of his future glory (in anticipation) in order to prepare and strengthen them
to face the scandal
of the cross. In other words, it was a preview of the glory he was to
attain at resurrection, only after going through the agony of the cross. In fact,
he wanted to point out that there was a crown or great reward beyond the cross.
The
Jewish Scripture (called by us OT) was commonly referred to as the Law and the
prophets. When Jesus was transfigured, the appearance of two great figures of
OT, namely Moses (representing the Law) and Elijah (representing the prophets)
indicates that Jesus is the fulfilment of the messianic hopes of the OT.
Though Matthew says that they were talking with Jesus (17:3), he does not say
what the subject-matter of their conversation was. We come to know it from Luke
that they were speaking about his “departure” (a technical word for his passing over
from death to life) which he was about to accomplish in
Though
the clouds in the sky are normally dark, Matthew speaks of a “bright cloud”
that overshadowed them (17:5). This bright cloud indicates the presence of the Divine Light (God). The voice of the
Father declares Jesus as his beloved Son (17:5), which also means a beloved
servant because of its connection with the suffering servant of Yahweh, in the Book of Isaiah
(cf. 42:1). Jesus becomes the Father’s beloved Son and the Father is well pleased
with him precisely because of his willingness to become his obedient servant
unto death on the cross. The Father approves the path chosen by his Son by
calling him his Beloved Son and asking the disciples to listen to him (17:5).
To “listen”
means to obey him or imitate his way of attaining glory through humiliation
and suffering.
Peter’s reaction
to this tremendous experience was to stay there on the mountain permanently and pitch three tents:
one for Jesus, one for Elijah and for Moses (17:4). His desire to prolong this
experience and erect permanent dwellings indicates a short-cut method of attaining glory
by avoiding the cross.
Matthew tells us that Jesus touched the three disciples when they fell to the
ground out of fear (17:6-7). This touch was meant to help them overcome the fear
(both at the sight of dazzling glory of the Lord and the thought of suffering),
and reassure them
of his strength to face suffering (17:7). The secret about this vision had to
be kept till the resurrection (17:9) to avoid misunderstanding about the type of
Messiah Jesus was going to become.
- Application to
life
Every
day when we recite the Angelus we pray that we may be brought to the
glory of Christ’s resurrection by his passion and cross. This is exactly what
theologians call “paschal mystery of Christ”. The Hebrew word ‘pascha’ means
passing over
and refers to Christ’s passing or crossing over to glory through his passion
and death. ‘Mystery’
(a word used by
What is
a cross?
It is a symbol of three things: (1) suffering because Jesus underwent terrible
suffering on it; (2) sacrifice because he sacrificed his life on
it; and (3) humiliation
because he died shameful death of a criminal on it. The crosses in our life can
be persons, situations, places, work or job and responsibilities that give us a
lot of pain, agony, physical and mental torture, discomfort, risk and
humiliation. For example, an alcoholic husband is a cross to his wife, an
unfaithful husband/wife to his/her wife/husband, a disobedient or delinquent
child to its parents, and an enemy to his/her enemies. A serious illness
(either one’s own or of others in the family) which does not get cured, a risky
work or job, a heavy responsibility of family/ workplace/ institution/ organization,
a dangerous and insecure place to live can become a cross. All the humiliations
we get from our own family members, colleagues, companions and opponents when
we do something right and just or for social welfare are crosses. Feelings of
failure, loss, loneliness, unrest, rejection and hopelessness are also other
crosses. We see the shadow of the cross whenever we sacrifice our selfishness, security,
power, comforts and even friends in order to follow the Lord. Our sharing of
his glory takes place to some extent when we experience peace and joy in this
life after going through a lot of suffering and sacrifices. But this glory is
only a glimpse of the everlasting glory of heaven. Compared to that glory, all
the sufferings of this present life are not worth (cf. Rom 8:18). This hope
of the glory to come sustains us when we walk through the valley of tears or
suffering.
The same
voice of the Father that appealed to the apostles to listen to Jesus as he is
his Beloved Son, appeals to us to listen to or imitate Jesus in our moments of
trials, temptation, sufferings, humiliation and rejection. How can we listen to
Jesus if we are not attuned to his voice by remaining close to him in prayer?
How can we listen to him if we follow the latest fads of the consumerist
society instead of following him? In our hunger for power, position and
ambitions, we are reminded to imitate him who rejected these worldly standards
in obedience
to God’s will. As God’s beloved
sons/ daughters in whom he is well pleased, even in our
failure and humiliation, we are called to walk in his footsteps, that is, walk the way of the cross. We are called to
follow a suffering Messiah who attains his glory through the cross. If we have tried to bypass the cross – as Peter was trying to do
with his proposal to remain on the mountain-top permanently – Lent is the most
appropriate time to listen to him, to follow his footsteps by embracing the
cross. We listen to Jesus in his Word found in the Gospel. Amidst so many
other contrary voices of the world that come through bad companions, misleading
guides and mass media, do we try to keep attuned to our Master’s voice? Which
voice is stronger and louder: the former or the latter?
Like
Peter, we have a tendency to prolong happiness and stay fixed on the mountain of
glory and escape
from the problems and hardships of life. We have a desire to attain glory and prolong
its joy by trying to evade crosses. As fathers of families we want to attain
unity and harmony in our families, but without sacrificing our time for guiding
our children; as husbands we want better understanding with our wives, but without
spending time for communicating mutual expectations; we want a corruption-free
society, but won’t mind giving bribe to avoid trouble and inconveniences for
us; we want children to obey us, but do not practice what we preach to them
because of which we lose respect and obedience from them; we want peace, but do
not want to forgive or take steps for reconciliation. This is the short-cut
method to glory proposed
by so many Peters all around the world.
There
are also some other Peters who want to build only ‘tents’ (memorials, monuments, churches,
institutions, conduct novenas and establish healing centres), and forget about
Jesus’ mission to the poor and the marginalized. Like Peter, they want to remain
comfortably fixed
in these and do not want to enter into human misery and problems below the
mountain. Of course, mountain of glory is more enjoyable and comfortable than
the valley of struggles and tensions.
The
lesson drawn from the transfiguration of Christ teaches us that our Christian
life has two inseparable elements: “ascending” and “descending” or "going up
the mountain" and "coming down the mountain". We need to ascend
or “go up the mountain” to encounter the Lord in prayer, to listen to his
voice. But we cannot stay there permanently even if we happen to get ‘mystical
visions.’ Our intimacy with the Master and
experience of his splendour or glory in prayer and contemplation energizes us
to go “down the mountain” to face the hardships of life which are our daily
crosses, just as the disciples descended from the mountain to proceed with
Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane and to Mount Calvary. This intimacy also
inspires us to reach out to the sick, the hungry, the poor and the
marginalized.
The Lenten Season invites
us to retrace our steps towards the path followed by Jesus. When we are frightened of trials and
sufferings of life, just as he touched his disciples, today and everyday Jesus touches us and gives us the strength to get up. He
tells us to arise
and live a life without fear during trials and difficulties of life, especially
when we do good. He invites us to go to our ‘Tabor’ – to encounter God in
prayer and solitude – with the intention of sending us to the valley of
suffering to become beloved sons and daughters of God who are called to be his
beloved servants for his cause. He assures
us of a crown beyond the crosses. Every Eucharistic celebration is also like a
mountain-top experience that energizes us to face trials of life. But we cannot
say like Peter: It is good for us to be here all the time. Soon the priest will
say: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord by loving and serving others. He
also sends us to take up our crosses and follow the Lord. Since during liturgy
we are with Christ on the mountain, and are given spiritual nourishment, we can
go out from here with the hope that his strength will be with us in our trials
and daily crosses.
- Response to God's Word
Do we
follow Christ in moments of failure and humiliation, or follow our own
impulses? Are we willing to climb down from the mountain of achievements, name
and fame, power and honour, and walk with Jesus up to
- A Prayer
Lord
Jesus, grant that we may be brought to the glory of your resurrection by your
passion and cross. Touch us and raise us up with your strength so that we do
not run away from the cross or escape from sacrifices involved in fulfilling
your mission. Grant that we may imitate your way of sacrificial love for the
salvation of the world. Give us the courage and strength to carry our daily
crosses so that we may share your glory. Confirm us with an unwavering hope in
your promises so that we may courageously face sufferings of this life with
that goal in mind. Amen.
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