Fr Denis Hooper OSB
LAST WEEK WE HAD ONE OF THE SHORTEST GOSPELS OF THE YEAR. THIS WEEK WE HAVE ONE OF THE LONGEST PASSAGES. TODAY’S GOSPEL IS ABOUT THE TRANSFIGURATION OF CHRIST. TO BE TRANSFIGURED IS
TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO SOMETHING MORE BEAUTIFUL.
JESUS’ TRANSFIGURATION SHOWS SOMETHING INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL AND IT IS A MANIFESTATION OF HIS GLORY. IT IS A PROMISE OF THE GLORY TO COME
IT IS AN AFFIRMATION THAT HE IS INDEED THE SON OF GOD AND THERE IS AN INSTRUCTION FROM GOD TO LISTEN TO GOD’S SON
JUST BEFORE THE TRANSFIGURATION IN MARK’S GOSPEL, JESUS TOLD HIS DESCIPLES THAT HE WILL SUFFER GREATLY. HE TOLD THEM THAT HE WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH THIS MUST HAVE THROWN HIS FRIENDS INTO CRISIS:
- THEIR HOPES FOR A STRONG MESSIAH WERE DASHED
- THEIR DREAMS WERE SHATTERED
- THEY WERE ASHAMED THAT JESUS THEIR LORD WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH LIKE A COMMON CRIMINAL
IT’S NO WONDER THEN THAT PETER WANTS TO MAKE THIS MOMENT OF TRANSFIGURATION LAST LONGER, TO DWELL ON THIS WONDERFUL SIGHT OF JESUS TALKING WITH MOSES AND ELIJAH THE DANGER FOR THE DESCIPLES AND INDEED FOR US IS THAT WE WANT THE MOMENT OF GLORY AND WE DON’T WANT THE CROSS – TO WHICH WE ARE JOURNING TO IN THESE WEEKS OF LENT WE ALL PREFER MOMENTS OF TRANSFIGURATION IN OUR LIVES. WE WANT TO ESCAPE TO THE PEACE OF THE MOUNTAIN AND AWAY FROM THE PAIN OF THE WORLD BELOW. AND WHO WOULD BLAME US?
SOME OF US ESCAPE THE PAIN OF THE WORLD THROUGH A MYRIAD OF DRUGS, AND ALCOHOL AND OTHER EXCESSIVE OBSESSIONS. SOME OF US JUST CAN’T FACE THE HARSH REALITIES OF THIS WORLD BUT AS BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN SAYS, “YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE”
PSALM 139 PUTS IT IN SIMILAR WORDS:
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS TRANSFIGURATION JESUS WILL COME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN AND SET OUT FOR JERUSALEM AND HIS CERTAIN DEATH JESUS’ OBEDIENCE TO THIS REALITY IS FORESHADOWED IN TODAY’S FIRST READING, WITH ABRAHAM PREPARED TO SACRIFICE HIS ONLY SON WHOM HE LOVED IN THE END, THE SACRIFICE WAS NOT NECESSARY AS ABRAHAM WAS FOUND TO FEAR
GOD.
ABRAHAM’S OBEDIENCE WAS REWARDED WITH BLESSINGS ON HIM AND HIS DESCENDANTS
SAINT PAUL IN THE SECOND READING REMINDS US THAT GOD DID NOT SPARE HIS SON, BUT RATHER GAVE HIM UP TO BENEFIT US ALL – WITH THE REWARD FOR CHRIST’S
OBEDIENCE BEING OUR SALVATION AS WE STAND IN THE GLORY OF THE TRANSFIGURED CHRIST TODAY, WE ARE AWARE OF THE NEED OF TRANSFORMATION IN OUR LIVES AND IN OUR WORLD TODAY THE LENTEN SEASON IS GIVEN TO US AS A TIME FOR PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION WHERE WE SEEK TO REMOVE WHATEVER COMES BETWEEN US AND A DEEPER
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AT THE SAME TIME, OUR WORLD IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF TRANSFORMATION
ACCORDING TO GOD’S PLAN IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME FOR TRANSFORMATION IT IS SURELY NOW:
- A LONG-RUNNING WAR IN UKRAINE – TWO YEARS YESTERDAY AND NO SIGN OF IT
STOPPING - WHILST TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE – MANY OF THEM INNOCENTS – HAVE
BEEN KILLED OR INJURED IN THE HOLY LAND WHERE THE MAJORITY OF HOMES
HAVE BEEN DESTROYED AND ACCESS TO FOOD, WATER AND HUMANITARIAN AID
IS SCARCE - AND IN ALL THIS INTERNATIONAL LAW SEEMS TO BE CONVENIENTLY FORGOTTEN
OUR EXPERIENCE OF THE MOUNTAIN TOP CALLS US TO SAFEGUARD THE LIGHT OF CHRIST AND TO SHARE IT IN THE HOPE OF TRANSFORMING OURSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND US JUST AS JESUS COMES DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP TO MEET THE PAIN AND SUFFERING FOUND IN THE VALLEY BELOW, WE ALSO MUST GO DOWN WITH HIM AND
MAKE HIS LIGHT SHINE EVERYWHERE, ESPECIALLY IN THE DARKEST PLACES OF OUR WORLD WHERE CHAOS AND SUFFERING IS ALL AROUND AS WE WALK THROUGH LENT, WE OUGHT TO REMEMBER THAT THE GLORY OF THE TRANSFIGURATION POINTS TO THE GLORY OF THE CROSS ALTHOUGH THE JOURNEY ENDS AT CALVARY – THE DEATH OF JESUS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY. IT IS A NEW BEGINNING JESUS’ RESURRECTION IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. THE TRANSFIGURED
CHRIST WILL CONQUER AND TRANSFORM THE WORLD’S SUFFERING, SIN AND DEATH.
AND SO, LET US BE ENLIGHTENED BY THE TRANSFIGURED CHRIST AND TAKE HOPE FROM WHAT WE HAVE HEARD IN TODAY’S GOSPEL, CONFIDENT THAT CHRIST COMES TO TRANSFIGURE US AND THE WORLD AROUND US.
AMEN.