Posted by The WORD in other words (2021) by Fr Pablito Tagura SVD – Christ the King Seminary, Quezon City
2nd Sunday of Lent – B
The Apostles had their share of joys but also frustrations in following Jesus. At some point, they entertained doubts about whether they made the right decision in casting their lots with Jesus.
The Scribes and Pharisees were continually attacking Jesus – that he was a false prophet and a blasphemer, who claimed to be the Messiah when, in fact, he was merely the son of a poor carpenter from that backwater and nondescript town of Nazareth. Some close relatives were convinced that he had gone mad! Surely, they ate death threats too for breakfast, not to mention surviving merely on meager food for daily sustenance, with no permanent lodging and continuously moving from one place to another.
Like Abraham, in the first reading, who could not make sense of Yahweh’s demand that he should offer his only son Isaac in a deathly sacrifice, so also the Apostles were perplexed and were asking themselves: where’s all this leading us to and what are we to gain if we stick with Jesus? Jesus’ prediction that he would die on the cross was too much to bear; their glorious expectations were dashed to pieces!
Jesus sensed demoralization, discouragement, and disillusionment among the apostles. He took Peter, James, and John and led them up to a high mountain apart by themselves. Mountains are the usual settings for supernatural revelations. The apostles were granted a glimpse of Jesus in his glorious state, which was to be his eternal state after his death and resurrection. The transfiguration established Jesus’ glorious identity as the beloved son of God, and it was a preview of the final coming and full flowering of God’s kingdom at the end of human history.
Going down the mountain, the Apostles forgot all their woes, self-doubts and worries, now supplanted with courage and hopeful expectations that something good and lasting was at stake in being faithful to Jesus. In our own lives, we may encounter real difficulties, worries, and problems – pertaining to relationships, health issues, economic woes, and personal failures. The Gospel today provides us with a different perspective so as not to be overwhelmed by these and wallow in hopelessness. We have to listen to the voice of Jesus, who will calm the storm and steady the boat.
St. Paul, in the second reading today, reminds us to keep afresh in our memory that God did not spare his Son but handed him over for all of us. The LOVE of God is constantly manifested in Christ Jesus and that His salvific plan is on our side, because the Father, as the judge, has already pronounced His sentence in favor of us. St. Paul further asserts that if God sacrificed his only Son for us, would he not also give us everything else along with Jesus? Let us cast all our cares on Jesus then as he takes command.
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