March 05, 2023
2nd Sunday of Lent
We had our Parish Mission on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Our spiritual guide was Fr. Ken Paulli, OFM. He started by saying that he was “missioning†with us and positioned his talks within the Evening Prayer of the Church. Each evening Ken focused our attention on one of three Lenten Sunday Gospels – the Woman of Samaria, the Man born blind, and Lazarus raised from the dead – all from the Gospel according to St. John. As he read the text of each Gospel, he invited us to close our eyes, to listen attentively and to note any word or phrase or image that struck us in the reading of the Gospel. But then he uploaded and visually displayed a painting of each respective miracle: “the woman at the well in Samaria†by a contemporary artist from Cameroon, Africa; “the man born blind†by Duccio, a late 13th and early 14th century artist from Siena, Italy; and “Lazarus raised from the dead†by the Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh. Fr. Ken invited us to gain insight by listening to and reflecting on the text and then visually imagining these miraculous “signs†in the Gospel according to St. John.
If we use Fr. Ken’s approach to our Gospel today, the Transfiguration, from St. Matthew we will readily note and discern the importance of “seeing†and “listening.†Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. Jesus is transfigured, his face shines like the sun and his clothes are white as light. Moses and Elijah appear and converse with Jesus. Peter says to Jesus that it is good that we are here. He offers to pitch three tents – one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for Jesus. While Peter is still speaking, a bright cloud casts a shadow over them and from the cloud, a voice, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him.†When the disciples hear the voice, they fall prostrate, afraid. Jesus comes, touches them, saying, “Rise, do not be afraid.†The disciples raise their eyes. They see only Jesus. They are alone with him.
We ask, “What happened on the mountain?†Anyone who has climbed a mountain, knows how dangerous and breathtaking the trek can be. It seems the thin air and vistas blend and lend to spiritual awakening. In the Bible mountains are meeting places with God. Moses receives the 10 Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. On this same mountain, Elijah experiences God as a “a light, gentle whispering sound.†Whatever Peter, James and John see and hear on the mountain, it does not last. Peter offers to pitch three tents for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus as if to stay there and hold on to the moment. What Peter, James and John take with them as they descend the mountain is the memory of God’s glory shining in and through Jesus, the memory of God’s voice telling them to listen to Jesus, and, after the vision, the memory of Jesus touching them and saying, “Rise, do not be afraid.†These memories on the mountain will sustain the disciples as they journey with Jesus to the cross.
These transfiguring moments are rare, but they do occur. Perhaps you have had a special moment when you felt the closeness of God. I have. Admittedly, these wonderful moments do not last long, and we find ourselves back in the daily routine of living. But we continue with the awareness that ultimately everything will be OK. Lent is the special time when the inner eye and inner ear of our hearts are open to see and to hear the mysterious presence of God who comes to us in his beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
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