One of the most dramatic scenes in the Life of our Lord Jesus Christ takes place in today’s gospel in this second Sunday of Lent. While our Lord had twelve apostles, he went up to the high mountain, tradition places this as Mt. Tabor in Galilee, where he only brought his closest three apostles; Peter, James and John.
A few years back, I was blessed to visit the Holy Land and no visit to the Holy Land would be complete without a trip to Mt. Tabor. It has a big church run by the Dominicans where Fr. Gerry Matriano celebrated the Holy Mass for our group and it was a very solemn mass on top of Mt. Tabor, where we had a special blessing when a singular large cloud hovered on top of the Transfiguration Church. This was similar to the Shekinah Glory cloud that appeared during the Transfiguration and many Old Testament narratives. You can read this account in Matt. 17: 1-9.
“1. After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
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A few Sundays ago, the gospel was about the Sermon on the Mount when our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the Beatitudes. Today’s gospel once again brings us to another mountain. This time, Jesus only brings his closest apostles with him, when they reached the summit of Mt. Tabor, Jesus is transfigured and as the gospel points out, “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” Then Moses and Elijah appeared with him during the Transfiguration. Moses represented the Lawgiver, while Elijah represented the Prophets. As we learned later in the life of our Lord Jesus, he told us “I did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.”
Peter was so awe struck at the scene of our transfigured Jesus that he spoke up and told the Lord that he would set up three tents, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. But while he was still speaking, the Shekinah Glory cloud appeared on top of the mountain and a voice was heard saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
This is the second time that the voice of God our Father appears in the New Testament. The first time was during the Baptism of our Lord Jesus at the River Jordan when the voice like thunder was heard saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
During the Baptism of our Lord, the voice of the Father was addressed to our Lord Jesus Christ. In the transfiguration, the voice of the Father was addressed to his apostles, exhorting them to listen to Jesus. So what did the apostles see in the Transfiguration? They saw a glimpse of the heavenly glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, of what the future held for them. Our Lord Jesus showed them his heavenly glory to prepare them for the coming tragedy of his passion and death on the cross. While Peter eventually denied the Lord, they all knew that Jesus was the Son of God who died for our sins which is why we celebrate Holy Week every year.
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