2nd Sunday of Lent, Year C
Today’s gospel reading on the Transfiguration of Christ from the Holy Gospel according to Luke, chapter 9, verse 28b to 36, took place shortly after the Caesarea Philippi incident where Peter proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the living God and Jesus revealed to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Being human, this announcement of course saddened Jesus’s disciples. So He took three of them, Peter, James and John to Mount Tabor to strengthen them and give them a foretaste of the glory and immense happiness set aside for them; which made Peter exclaim, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
Though Jesus’s Transfiguration proved His divinity, it was also His way of preparing Peter, James and John for His upcoming suffering and death. It is in fact, an act of overflowing divine love and care from Jesus to His disciples to teach them that He will be always with them especially in the most difficult and challenging moments of their lives to console and guide them. So if we remain in Him and He in us, we will always be happy no matter the situation we find ourselves in. Hence firmness of faith in God seems to be our best bet to attain the kingdom of heaven, this is why St. Paul in his Letter to the Philippians, chapter 3, verse 17 to chapter 4, verse 1, our second reading today, tells us to always stand firm in the Lord. Even our first reading today from the Book of Genesis, chapter 15, verse 5 to 12, and 17 verse 18, shows us what firmness of faith can do for us in the story of Abram, who put his faith in the LORD.
So my dear friends in Christ, how can we deepen our faith in God this Lenten season? We can deepen our faith in God this Lenten season by truly living out the three pillars of Lent, that is - Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, this Lenten season don’t just pray, but pray well because prayer strengthens your faith, provides guidance and wisdom, fosters a deeper relationship with God, and strengthens you to resist temptation and overcome challenges. Secondly, fast because by fasting, which is to voluntarily abstain from food, you deepen your prayer life, become more humble before God, and develop a closer relationship with Christ through His suffering and death. Lastly this Lenten season, give Alms or be charitable to those in need, because it pleases God, brings you more blessings, curbs your greed, and helps you show compassion and love for others.
