2nd Sunday of Lent 1 Mar 2015 Sermon

2nd Sunday of Lent 1.3.15 Transfiguration

The Gospel of the Transfiguration puts before us the dramatic contrasts we experience in this life – such contrasts as between joy and sorrow, security and fear.

It is very hard for us to ignore what our senses perceive. If something frightens us, for instance, it is hard for us to summon forth courage to face the problem.

It is hard to believe in more than we can see, and hard to hope for good outcomes when all indications suggest otherwise.

I say ‘hard’ but not impossible. With grace and faith we can do all these things.

Our Lord supplies all that we need, if only we hold firm enough to ask Him.

We really need to be able to do this almost every day as we negotiate various disappointments, sufferings, setbacks, and fears.

And that is just in our personal lives.

We also have to think as the Church, with all the problems we encounter. We feel like a boat on the ocean, tossed about so many difficulties – persecutions, confusion of beliefs, internal division and human weakness in general.

We could have a huge lack of confidence with all these factors in play.

So it is good to be reminded that we believe in a God who is all-powerful and all-good.

The Transfiguration is one of those times when God gives us a glimpse of His greatness.

It is very brief but should be enough to re-ignite our flagging spirits.

He has the goodness to want to save us from sin and death. He has the power to overcome those twin enemies which have caused us such distress.

Their power looks very strong to us, even invincible (the senses, again!). But Our Lord puts them in their place.

This is My Beloved Son. He connects humanity with divinity, giving us a way above all our troubles. We can all find refuge in Him. He is Victory, seen from any angle.

And He is just as real and as close as He ever was.

Peter said, It is good to be here. So we can say, it is good to be here, wherever we are; because we can call on Him in any place and He will not be far away.

So we wonder how we manage to get so downcast as we do.

It is because we do not reflect deeply enough on His presence.

He wants us to trust in Him, and we have less excuse than the apostles had for doubting Him.
They did not know how the story would end, but we do.

It is like watching a film for the second time. It is not so scary because we know that even though Our Lord was put on the Cross He would rise again.

We still manage to be afraid, however, and to have all the other negative reactions.

So this Gospel and this season of Lent are put before us, to steady us down and help us get back on track.

Why do you doubt, you men of little faith (Mt 14,31)? No matter what our senses present to us, we will survive, holding on to the Saviour.

This applies to both present day problems, to each one’s lifetime, and to the whole Church in general.

We cannot understand all that God is doing, but just hang on anyway.

Keep the right perspective and all becomes clear. See the steadfastness of the martyrs and other saints.

See Mary at foot of Cross. It really does come right if only we stand our ground.