2nd Sunday in Lent A

2nd Sunday of Lent – Transformation or Revelation

Who do people say that I am – Jesus asked the apostles – not in today’s gospel but a few weeks back. And they replied, “Some say Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

They didn’t know what to say and obviously neither did the people who had been listening to Jesus. They all knew or felt that he was a holy man, a preacher or rabbi – but really that was it. Well – that was it until Peter made his statement that – “You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

The apostles had been with Jesus for some time now. They loved Jesus as their Teacher, their Master – but they had not really fully seen or heard or recognised Him for he really was. They were caught up and lost in the everyday living, the everyday distractions, the everyday managing to get along – to see or recognise Jesus for he really was. I wonder if that rings any bells for us here today?

And then we have today’s gospel. We have Jesus taking Peter, James and John up a mountain with him to pray. And as he prayed, he became transformed: he was revealed to them in his glory - his clothing became as brilliant as lightning and his face changed. And suddenly – there were two men there talking with him – Moses and Elijah.

And a voice came from the cloud saying, “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to Him”.

What a moment! Moses and Elijah. The voice of God coming from a cloud. And Jesus is transformed. He is revealed in something closer to his true likeness. His face is changed and his clothing becomes as brilliant as lightning.

Jesus is transformed because he is in the presence of pure love: the love of His Father for Him. All doubts and uncertainties are stripped away. There are no titles to cause confusion or create unclear pictures – Master, Teacher, Rabbi. Now there is only one – This is my son, the chosen one – listen to him. Now there is only clarity and pure love.

What does that mean, to or for, us here today? I was chatting about this gospel with Celia – my wife – earlier in the week – yes – we do still talk to each other even after thirty odd years and no – we do not only talk about the gospel!

My comment was – Do people in love look at each other every day and see the same image that they fell in love with originally? What changes over time – if anything? Are there different images, different pictures but definitely of the same person, snap-shot over time that stay with you; that hit your heart and mind and core to remind you of your love for them? Which of these then would be their picture of pure love?

The “Eyes first meeting across the room – or across the Facebook or Twitter site”. The Wedding Day picture in beautiful gown and Princess Leia hair-do. The memory-retained picture when your first child is born or later when you both look at twin babies – one held in each hand. Or so many hundreds of pictures later involving one or more of your family across the years.

For me – all of them. All of them are pictures of love. But as strong and imprinted as they are for me, they are still only shadows of God’s love for His Son and God’s love for each and every one of us. God so loved the world – us – that he gave us His only Son – Jesus Christ – to save us. God’s love for His Son is a blinding pure light, the like of which we – and the apostles – have never seen before or since.

But it is there. It is there for us to see every day that we come into his presence. Every day when we climb our mountain to get away from distractions and put the world behind us – we can catch a glimpse – a snap shot of God and His love for us.

Every day when we take heed of God’s ten little words - “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to Him”.

Listen to Him. Listen to what He is saying to each one of us. Look at the picture of love that He is giving us here in today’s Eucharist. Feel the love on offer to us through each and every sacrament and wonder – wonder at why we don’t take up the opportunity every day to come and revisit and re-experience that love. To catch not only that first-time, first-feel contact of love: but to reconnect with the everlasting love of God through His Son Jesus Christ.

From that first moment when we are Baptised and are taken into that purity of God’s love for us and are then renewed and refreshed and re-flamed each time we listen to His Word and take it into our lives.

We have God’s love for us here – here in the Eucharist. We are as Peter, James and John on the mountain-top. There are no distractions. There is nothing except God’s love for His Son: pure and brilliant. And then His voice that pronounces ten short words but ten words that are probably of a greater impact and importance than the Ten Commandments. “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to Him”.

Lord. I listen but I do not always hear. I hear but do not always understand: understand but not always practice: practice but sometimes fall down. Help me when I stumble to keep listening to you.

And today especially Lord we ask you to bless all the children being enrolled for their First Holy Communion. Bless them with your spirit. Guide them with your light and enrich them with your love so that they too can become united with you forever. Help them to make this the start of a lifelong journey with you, through you and to you.

 Bidding Prayers

1.      That we all become transfigured in our lives so that they are full of the love of God and we live this love in our daily lives. Lord in your mercy

2.      That we learn to show this love in our everyday dealings with each other, showing care and patience and understanding. Lord in your mercy

3.      That our children, enrolled here this weekend for their First Sacraments, are filled with grace to grow always stronger in their love and appreciation of God. Lord in your mercy

4.      That nations across our world can be transformed into ones of peace and mutual respect and regard. Lord in your mercy

5.      That all our parishioners who are sick or poorly6 can be enriched by our prayers and actions. Lord in your mercy

6.      That those who have died recently can attain eternal life with the Lord and full transformation with the Spirit. Lord in your mercy

7.      That Our Lady can join her prayers with ours as we now pray together, Hail Mary full of grace