2nd Sunday of Lent 13 March 2022 Transfiguration
Our Lord gives a glimpse of His real power and majesty in the Transfiguration. It is just a glimpse but enough to prove that this was the real state of affairs.
This event, being recorded for future generations, is meant for our consolation as well as it was then meant for the Apostles.
God has a certain way of dealing with us. He gives us enough information and enough help and then expects us to work with that, and derive the necessary lesson for our own application.
Also He wants that we would build on what we have learned, and let it bear fruit in multiple ways.
We should do this instead of forgetting all His previous help and starting at zero each time we deal with Him. It is as though God has to prove Himself every time before we believe in Him.
Life has many hard bits, and we need a lot of help along the way – divine help, especially.
Each time God makes Himself known, we should store that away in the memory bank, and come out stronger the next time. Strong enough that we do not doubt His leadership but willingly follow Him on all points.
We are familiar with the basic pattern adopted in many fictional stories.
The hero and heroine are in all sorts of trouble and the evildoers are in control. Yet one thing happens and then another and somehow the good triumphs. Against all odds.
A cynic explained that this is why it is called fiction, because real life is so much unlike that!
Is it just that we like stories with a happy ending or does this search for a right outcome indicate a real hope embedded in us?
God has planted in us a desire to be saved from evil, and a strong hope that we will be so delivered.
We have a story book ending too but we might have to wait hundreds or even thousands of years to see its full effect.
We learn to be content with finding a place in God's great design.
If we do our bit, in our time and place, that is enough for our own salvation and to help many others find theirs.
All the while God is there, turning out miracles, guiding and sustaining us; showing the power which He always has, but does not always reveal as clearly as at the Transfiguration.
We learn to tag along, not expecting everything to be easy but eventually falling into place.
The transfiguration was joyful but it did not remove the need for the apostles to suffer, nor for us.
Our Lord wants us to share in His divinity and this means taking on certain qualities which we do not have to start with – like self-sacrifice, self-control, charity, mercy etc.
We are disciples, learning from the Master. We become good people, and this is itself part of our salvation.
The Master will rescue us just like in the stories. He will firstly help us cope in the midst of evil, and then finally release us from this life to enjoy eternal life.
We must never forget what we have seen in the Transfiguration. It is always true, but mostly hidden.
We put our trust in the one true God who can raise others, and Himself from the dead; can answer any prayer; can reward those who persevere; can encourage the waverers.
If we consider what He has done so far must we not join Him? Is He not far and away the obvious answer?
As St Peter said on the mountain: It is good for us to be here.
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