St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish
Theme:
“Then a cloud overshadowed them,
and from the cloud there came a voice,
‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’” (Mark 9:7)
Has the voice of your parents transformed you to be who you are? Has the voice of your
friends transformed your life? Has the voice of your siblings illuminated your character?
The voice of God echoes in Jesus Christ’s Transfiguration. During every second Sunday
of Lent, we hear the message from the Bible about the Transfiguration of Jesus on the
Mountain with Moses and Elijah talking with him:
“Jesus took with him Peter and James and John,
and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no one on earth could bleach them.
And there appeared to them Elijah and Moses,
who were talking with Jesus.” (Mark 9:2-4)
The Transfiguration is therefore the manifestation of the glory of Jesus Christ’s
appearance, voice and message as well as the glory of God. Elijah was present at the
Transfiguration in order to remind us all the prophetic messages that God called people to
hear and follow. Moses was present at the Transfiguration to let us remember all the
divine guidelines, law and precepts that God advised people to accept and follow. The
three disciples were present at the Transfiguration to represent the church because they
are called to bear witness to the prophecy and precepts of God now and in the future, just
as Elijah and Moses had done in the past.
When we celebrate the Transfiguration this year, we too are called to be witnesses of the
glory of Jesus Christ in the world around us today and in the future. That is why “Jesus
took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by
themselves” (Mark 9:2). Jesus is leading us up a high mountain apart this year to be a
witness of his glory as well as the glory of God.
Jesus chose a high mountain for the Transfiguration to replicate and reproduce how
Moses was privileged to see the glory of God (Exodus 24:16-18) and how Moses was
transformed on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:29-31). Jesus chose a high mountain for the
Transfiguration to echo Elijah’s hearing of the voice of God on a mountain (1 Kings
19:9-13). Like Moses, Elijah and the three disciples, Jesus is taking us to a higher level
and a higher ground of relationship. Are we ready to say yes to Jesus? Are we ready to
ascend a higher level of relationship with Jesus Christ? Are we ready to hear and follow
the prophetic messages and guidelines of Jesus Christ so that we too might be
transformed during this Lent 2021?
During the Second Sunday of Lent, we are called to listen to Jesus’ words, inspiration
and precepts: “Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice,
‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’” (Mark 9:7). The Transfiguration reveals
that God gave his only Son, the Beloved, as part of his sacrifice to save humanity. To
imitate God, we too cannot say we do not have enough money, enough material property,
enough people, and enough time to give back to God. Transfiguration of Christ should
transform us so that we are so transfigured to listen to God and to give back to him any
gift he requires from us.
During the Second Sunday of Lent, when we look around, we should see only Jesus who
transforms our sight and our perceptions:
“Suddenly when they looked around,
they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
As they were coming down the mountain,
Jesus ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen,
until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.” (Mark 9:8-9)
Jesus ordered the three disciples to give testimony of his Transfiguration after his
resurrection. Are we giving testimony for or against God? Like the disciples, we too
should make an effort to be part of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ without fear and
inhibition:
“If God is for us, who is against us?
He who did not withhold his own Son,
but gave him up for all of us,
will he not with him also give us everything else?
Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?
Is it God who justifies?
Who is to condemn?
Is it Christ Jesus,
who died, and indeed, who was raised,
who is at the right hand of God,
who intercedes for us?
Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will hardship, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
No,
in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us.” (Romans 8.31b-35, 37)
We too should hear and obey the voice of God so that we might give back to him all he
asks us, as did Moses, Elijah and Abraham:
“God tested Abraham.
God said to him, ‘Abraham!’
And Abraham said, ‘Here I am.’
God said,
‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah,
and offer him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’
When Abraham and Isaac came to the place that God had shown him,
Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order.
He bound his son Isaac,
and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
Then Abraham reached out his hand
and took the knife to kill his son.
But the angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven,
and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’
And he replied, ‘Here I am.’
The angel said,
‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him;
for now I know that you fear God,
since you have not withheld your son,
your only son, from me.’
Abraham looked up
and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns.
Abraham went and took the ram
and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven,
and said,
‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord:
Because you have done this,
and have not withheld your son, your only son,
I will indeed bless you,
and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven
and as the sand that is on the seashore.
And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies,
and by your offspring
shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves,
because you have obeyed my voice.’” (Genesis 22.1-2, 9-13, 15-18)
This Second Sunday of Lent, are we ready to follow Jesus Christ at a higher level of
relationship? This week of Lent, are we hearing the voice of God talking to us? This
week of Transfiguration, which goodness of God in us is brightening up the world around
us? How far are we ready to offer the best and the only gift we have to God during this
Lent 2021? Let us allow the Transfiguration of the Lord to transform our life, thought,
deeds and plans this Lent 2021.