Catechism Links[1]
CCC 554-556. 568: The Transfiguration
CCC 59, 145-146, 2570-2572: The obedience of Abraham
CCC 153-159: Characteristics of faith
CCC 2059: God manifests his glory to make known his will
CCC 603, 1373, 2634, 2852: Christ is for us
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| “Abraham and Isaac” by Sir Anthony van Dyck, c. 1617 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
Commentary on Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
In this passage Abraham is put to the test. He is to offer his son Isaac as a holocaust – an offering completely burnt on the altar. Abraham, though reluctant, is faithful to God and follows his instructions. At the last moment, when God is sure that Abraham has greater love for God than even for his beloved son Isaac, he stops Abraham and “blesses him abundantly,” making him the father of nations.
This example demonstrates that God expects those faithful to him to place love and obedience to him above all other worldly interests and loves. In return, those, like Abraham, who demonstrate that God is their first priority, will be blessed as only God can.
"Isaac is a type of Christ, for he was a son as Christ was a Son, and he carried the wood of his sacrifice just as the Lord bore the wood of the Cross. (Clement of Alexandria, Christ the Educator 1, 5, 23). The Lord carried his Cross as Isaac carried the wood; and the ram, caught by its horns in the thicket, prefigures Jesus crowned with thorns and then slain in sacrifice (St. Augustine, City of God 16, 32)."[5]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19
R. (116:9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
Commentary on Ps 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19
Psalm 116 is a song of thanksgiving. This selection is an individual prayer and promise to God. The singer understands that the Lord is his salvation. A little confusing is “Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.” The meaning is that the death of God's faithful is grievous to God, not that God is pleased with the death.
CCC: Ps 116:17 1330
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Reading II: Romans 8:31b-34
Commentary on Rom 8:31b-34
St. Paul bursts into a hymn proclaiming the victory over death and suffering experienced by the faithful, lifted up by God in Christ. The premise that the love of God assures salvation to the faithful is strengthened as the evangelist asks the rhetorical question “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
"This exclamation of the Apostle vividly reveals the full extent of the love of God the Father, who not only listens to our prayers but anticipates our needs. God is with us, he is always by our side. This is a cry expressing confidence and optimism, despite our personal wretchedness; it is firmly based on our sense of divine sonship." [6]
CCC: Rom 8:31 2852; Rom 8:32 603, 706, 2572; Rom 8:34 1373, 2634
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Gospel: Mark 9:2-10
Commentary on Mk 9:2-10
St. Mark’s account of the transfiguration varies only slightly from the account found in St. Matthew (Matthew 17:1-9). In St. Mark’s account the event takes place six days after his first prediction (see side note below) of his own passion and resurrection (St. Luke has eight days Luke 9:28b-36). Jesus brings Peter, James and John with him and, by their presence gives them a special understanding that his death and resurrection (and their own) will lead to the glory of the Kingdom of God, not to an end as they had feared.(see also 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 1:16-19).
Shown as it is to the select disciples, the transfiguration prepares them to understand the necessary connection between the passion and his rise to messianic glory. The imagery of this event provides a recognizable reference to the greater mission of the Lord, as he comes to fulfill both the Prophets (personified in Elijah) and the Law (represented by Moses). Scholars agree that uniting and fulfilling the Law and the Prophets represented in this tableau was a key message of this event.
The suggestion by St. Peter that he erect three “booths” suggests the Jewish Feast of Booths which commemorates the revelation of the Law by Moses at Mt. Sinai. A close parallel is emphasized as the ultimate revelation of God in Christ is now played out.
The “bright cloud” is another Old Testament symbol used to represent the immediate presence of Yahweh (see Exodus 19:9, 24:15-16 and 40:34-35). From within it God speaks the same formula used at Jesus’ baptism (see Matthew 3:17) providing the final absolute identity of Jesus as Christ.
A side note: the Lectionary for Mass begins this reading with “Jesus took Peter…”, omitting “After six days.” This omission removes an interesting numerological reference to the event that takes place. The transfiguration is the revelation of Christ as God’s Son. It completes the teaching referenced in the previous verses. After six days of teaching Christ was revealed – seven representing the complete or perfect number. The implication is that Christ’s perfect revelation would come at the resurrection.
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Homily:
Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why the transfiguration took place? We hear about that spectacular event at least twice a year; how Jesus takes three of his closest friends and goes up a mountain and there, he is transfigured before them. They see him in dazzling white, standing with the great forefathers of our faith: Elijah, the great prophet, and Moses who gave the people God’s Law.
Yes, the image is clear. Jesus is transformed into something closer to his essence as God. He came to fulfill what was predicted by Elijah and all the prophets, so Elijah had to be there. Moses was there because Jesus also came to fulfill the Law handed to Moses on Mount Horeb. There is no doubt what this event demonstrated: that Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of the Living God. To make that point even more explicit, for only the second time in the Gospel accounts of Jesus, God’s voice is heard: "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
The event is truly amazing and awe-inspiring. Of that there is no doubt, but why was it done? What purpose did Jesus have in going up that mountain with only three of his disciples? It was not to show off. He even tells them in later verses not to tell anyone about the episode. It was done with only three of his closest friends. He could have invited the whole entourage, all his disciples, and the crowd he had been teaching for the past six days, to come up the mountain with him to witness this unique event in which he was clearly revealed in his power and majesty.
If he had done that with a significant crowd of prominent scribes and Pharisees present (and we know there were representatives in the crowd that was with him), they would have announced to the Sanhedrin that the Messiah had come and there would never have been any doubt about his identity. A whole different set of events would have unfolded at Jerusalem
So what do we know? We know that Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, that he showed himself to his closest friends in all his majesty. They witnessed this event after Jesus had been teaching them for six days – an intense tutorial. We can only conclude that the purpose for this miraculous demonstration was to be an exclamation point to what he came to show us.
It is like the teacher in the class room who uses a spectacular demonstration to get across a point. Jesus is transfigured so that we might be paying special attention to the point he makes. And what is that point? Why did God feel it was necessary to send his only son in the first place? It was so we would be assured of his love for us, and to make clear what he wished for us: how we were to live in peace. Like any loving parent, God wants us be happy. And to do that we must follow the “house rules,” the biggest of them is: Love God and love one another.
This recognition, this understanding, this conversion is something that happens gradually. Again using the example of the teacher in school, the important lessons are repeated over and over again so they become ingrained, second nature.
So now we have come to realize why the transfiguration was so important. It was the exclamation point that emphasizes our need to follow the example Jesus gave us, and the commandments he left us. Now we must ask ourselves a second question: what must we do to respond to what he taught us? How can we derive the benefit of this teaching to achieve what God, our loving Father, wishes for us?
For the younger students, this is like a story problem. We have been taught over and over again the lessons Jesus teaches. Now we are asked to use what we have learned in a way we are likely to encounter in the real world. Because this is one in a series of lessons during our Lenten season, and as much as you would love to spend hours listening to this wisdom, other things must be done, let’s look at only one of the ways we can work at converting ourselves into the pupils (disciples) of which Jesus would be proud.
We are called to be a people of faith. The always-pragmatic St Paul said, in what can only be imagined as a fit of religious zeal: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” God is for us when we have spoken with him and know what he wishes us to do. So first and foremost we must be a people of prayer.
This second week of Lent let’s all make a pledge together. Whatever amount of praying we normally do on a given day (and saying, “I talk to God all the time” does not count), let’s pledge to set aside an additional one half hour to be alone with God in prayer. Let’s pray together for all those who face desperation during difficult times in their lives. If we find ourselves facing difficult times, pray that God will give us peace so we can face the difficulty knowing in our hearts that the Lord, who revealed himself to be the Christ at the transfiguration, also loves us and will be a light in the darkness. Let us offer our fears and our bitterness to the Lord, begging his forgiveness because we know he wishes only happiness for us. Be infused in that half hour with the knowledge that God loves us, and will stand with us when we are put to the test (praying fervently that our test will not be as momentous as the one he placed before Abraham).
Jesus came teaching us to be a people of prayer. He punctuated his teaching with the amazing event that unfolded before us in scripture as we heard once more how he revealed his divinity to us. Let us each now pledge to be what he teaches us to be, and in doing so receive gratefully the gift of peace he gives us.
Pax
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014
[2] The picture used is “Abraham and Isaac” by Sir Anthony van Dyck, c. 1617
[5] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, Genesis © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. pp. 44-45
[6] The Navarre Bible: “Letters of St. Paul”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 105
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