Fr. Louis Brioni
Reflection on the Gospel of the Second Sunday of Lent, C, 2019
I visited Mount Tabor some 30 years ago on a then very rough and steeply road. And I became fully aware that it was rightly there, on the top of that very lonely mountain, the Father himself had clearly manifested his Son’s divinity and commanded the three apostles, and eventually all humanity, to listen to Him!
The Father was then present on earth, there, in the fullness of His glory. We all wonder in our faith and prayer why He loves us, all and individually? Why does He touch us so much with His presence? Why did he sent His Son? Who are we to be so loved?
On that day of the Transfiguration make Jesus become the Word to listen to, the only Word!
Together with Him there we see Moses, the paschal leader of Israel and Elijah the fiery prophet of old. I would have liked to see also Abraham, but this was not in His plan! And what was their conversation about? Only Jesus’ exodus, His hour of love and glory, His final Passover from death to life. What a difference this conversation was compared to the one of the devil last Sunday on the mountain of temptations!
The three apostles were so taken by this vision that they felt totally satisfied with Jesus and wanted to remain with Him for good.
But we know that Jesus did not come to this world for His own sake, but for us, each one of us. To forget this in our daily life is really to set aside the very purpose of our life, the glory that for us too is waiting to happen.
Saint Pope Paul VI on the 1978 Transfiguration Feast so prayed, “On top of the Tabor you, o Christ, make me see what is the transcendent destiny of our human nature. … You call us to share your glory because we are truly partakers of your divine nature.”
Thus the Transfiguration of Jesus becomes the promise of our transfiguration, a promise that will not fail if we listen to Him.
On the Tabor I also discovered that it was there Jesus sent His disciples to the whole world before ascending up to the Father. Yes, His words were given there, “Go to all creation. Baptize. Teach everything. One family of God. And I will remain with you always.”
Thank you, Jesus, for sending us to the farthest corners of the world, to meet brothers and sisters in need of You, to help transfigure humanity with your glory, nothing more, nothing less!
By Fr. Louis Brioni sx
Reflection on the Gospel of the Second Sunday of Lent, C, 2019
I visited Mount Tabor some 30 years ago on a then very rough and steeply road. And I became fully aware that it was rightly there, on the top of that very lonely mountain, the Father himself had clearly manifested his Son’s divinity and commanded the three apostles, and eventually all humanity, to listen to Him!
The Father was then present on earth, there, in the fullness of His glory. We all wonder in our faith and prayer why He loves us, all and individually? Why does He touch us so much with His presence? Why did he sent His Son? Who are we to be so loved?
On that day of the Transfiguration make Jesus become the Word to listen to, the only Word!
Together with Him there we see Moses, the paschal leader of Israel and Elijah the fiery prophet of old. I would have liked to see also Abraham, but this was not in His plan! And what was their conversation about? Only Jesus’ exodus, His hour of love and glory, His final Passover from death to life. What a difference this conversation was compared to the one of the devil last Sunday on the mountain of temptations!
The three apostles were so taken by this vision that they felt totally satisfied with Jesus and wanted to remain with Him for good.
But we know that Jesus did not come to this world for His own sake, but for us, each one of us. To forget this in our daily life is really to set aside the very purpose of our life, the glory that for us too is waiting to happen.
Saint Pope Paul VI on the 1978 Transfiguration Feast so prayed, “On top of the Tabor you, o Christ, make me see what is the transcendent destiny of our human nature. … You call us to share your glory because we are truly partakers of your divine nature.”
Thus the Transfiguration of Jesus becomes the promise of our transfiguration, a promise that will not fail if we listen to Him.
On the Tabor I also discovered that it was there Jesus sent His disciples to the whole world before ascending up to the Father. Yes, His words were given there, “Go to all creation. Baptize. Teach everything. One family of God. And I will remain with you always.”
Thank you, Jesus, for sending us to the farthest corners of the world, to meet brothers and sisters in need of You, to help transfigure humanity with your glory, nothing more, nothing less!
By Fr. Louis Brioni sx