2ND SUNDAY OF LENT (C)

His face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.

Lk 9: 28b-36

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

About eight days after he said this….

What happened eight days before the Transfiguration? Jesus and his disciples were at Caesarea Philippi. There Jesus asked them who people think he was. And then he asked them who they think he was. Peter answered for all of them: You are the Christ of God! Immediately Jesus told them that he would suffer and die but on the third day, would rise again.

With the words “eight days after”, St. Luke wanted to connect the Transfiguration with Peter’s profession of faith in Jesus and Jesus’ prophecy about his death and resurrection. Where was the connection? At the Transfiguration Jesus gave a glimpse of his glory as the Christ of God and of the glory of his resurrected body. St. Luke said that “his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.”

He took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.

Jesus went up the mountain to meet his Father in prayer. As Satan was believed to dwell in the desert, so God was believed to dwell on the mountain. Tradition identifies Mt. Tabor as the mountain of the Transfiguration. Mt. Hermon is the other possible location of the Transfiguration.

This was no ordinary prayer. It was a decisive moment in his life, similar to the Baptism at the Jordan and his sojourn in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. There at Mt. Tabor Jesus faced once more the temptation to accept the cross or to reject it and find another way to save mankind. How do we know this? Luke says that he spoke with Moses and Elijah about his exodus – his passion, death, resurrection, and ascension.

This temptation to accept or reject the cross will be repeated for the last time at Gethsemane. There as here Peter, John and James were present. Here they were perhaps present so that having seen the glory of Jesus, they would not lose faith when they see Jesus crucified. On the other hand, they were near Jesus at Gethsemane so that Jesus may find moral support in them as his arrest drew near.

Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

Did Peter have in mind the Tent of Meeting during Israel’s stay in the desert? It was the dwelling place of God among the Israelites. In Exodus (25: 8-9) we read: “They shall make a sanctuary for me, that I may dwell in their midst. This Dwelling and all its furnishings you shall make exactly according to the pattern that I will now show you.”

Or did Peter mention the tents because he wanted all of them remain at Mt. Tabor and relish this moment forever?

Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my chosen Son; listen to him."

The cloud and the voice manifested the presence of the Father who Jesus had met in prayer.

With the words “This is my chosen Son; listen to him” St. Luke also connects the Transfiguration with the Baptism at the Jordan. At his Baptism the Father presented Jesus as Son and as Servant of Yahweh (Is 42:1). Here at the Transfiguration Jesus is presented as the Prophet that all must listen to (Acts 3:22; Dt. 18:15). Moses spoke of this Prophet. He said: “A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen.”