by Fr. Tommy Lane
During Lent we look forward to our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection during the Easter Vigil. On the second Sunday of Lent each year, the Gospel is the transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus transfigured in light is anticipating Jesus resurrected. I think we could describe Jesus’ transfiguration as a vision of Jesus’ glory in heaven. Peter, James, and John were unworthy to witness Jesus’ transfiguration, but their unworthiness did not prevent Jesus from sharing with them his heavenly glory. Just six verses before this in Matthew’s Gospel, Peter really messed up when he rebuked Jesus after Jesus told them he would suffer in Jerusalem, be killed, and raised on the third day (Matt 16:21-22). If we were choosing whom Jesus should invite onto the mountain for his transfiguration, we might omit Peter after that embarrassing incident. In Mark’s Gospel, in the chapter before the transfiguration, Jesus seems to have been exasperated with all the apostles when they misunderstood him; Jesus said to them, “Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?” (Mark 8:17-18) If we were choosing whom Jesus should invite onto the mountain for his transfiguration after that embarrassing incident, we might decide that none of them should be invited. Some people do not forgive, but God is always ready to forgive.
Some people suffer with low self-esteem and low self-worth; they think God would not have any time for them. That is not the case at all. Just look at Peter. Peter could have plenty of reason to suffer from low self-esteem after Jesus said, “Get behind me Satan” when he objected to Jesus’ prediction of his suffering and death in Jerusalem (Matt 16:23). But Jesus invited Peter with James and John onto the mountain for his transfiguration. Some humans do not forgive, but God is always ready to forgive. When Our Lady visited Elizabeth, she prayed: “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” (Luke 1:46-47) Jesus would also like each of us to be able to say, “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” Jesus does not want you to have low self-esteem or low self-worth and would like each of us to be able to pray with Our Lady: “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
That is why again and again in the Gospels we see Jesus helping those who messed up to get on their feet again. In John 8, we read that some people were going to stone a woman to death and asked Jesus what they should do. Jesus said the one without sin should cast the first stone and they all went away. Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and do not sin again.” (John 8:11) In Luke 7, Jesus attended dinner in the house of Simon the Pharisee. Simon did not make Jesus very welcome, but a known sinner woman did the customary actions to welcome a guest. Simon and his friends were complaining in their minds about Jesus and Jesus said to them her many sins were forgiven and that is why she showed such great love. As Jesus was passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus, a tax collector, wanted to see Jesus (Luke 19). Tax collectors were known for being fraudulent and overcharging. Zacchaeus was not liked by his fellow townspeople, obviously because of his profession. They did not allow Zacchaeus, who was short in stature, out in front of them to see Jesus, so he climbed a tree. Jesus said he wanted to stay at Zacchaeus’ house. Everybody complained but Jesus said he came to seek and save the lost and Zacchaeus promised to make restitution for his wrongdoing. Peter denied Jesus three times by a charcoal fire in the courtyard of the high priest (John 18:15-18, 25-27) and three time by a charcoal fire beside the Sea of Galilee in John 21 Jesus asked Peter to look after the flock.
Some people do not forgive, but God is always ready to forgive. Some people suffer with low self-esteem and low self-worth and think God would not have any time for them. That is not the case at all. Jesus does not want you to have low self-esteem or low self-worth and would like each of us to be able to pray with Our Lady, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
Just six verses before Jesus’ transfiguration in Matthew’s Gospel, Peter really messed up when he rebuked Jesus after Jesus told them he would suffer in Jerusalem, be killed, and raised on the third day (Matt 16:21-22). If we were choosing whom Jesus should invite onto the mountain for his transfiguration, we might omit Peter after that embarrassing incident. In Mark’s Gospel, in the chapter before the transfiguration, Jesus seems to have been exasperated with all the apostles when they misunderstood him. (Mark 8:17-18) If we were choosing whom Jesus should invite onto the mountain for his transfiguration after that embarrassing incident, we might decide that none of them should be invited. Some people do not forgive, but Jesus is always ready to forgive.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2023
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Second Sunday of Lent Year A
Jesus’ transfiguration reminds us who we are and not to be negative
Related Homilies: Prayer: entering the love of Jesus 2023
Jesus’ transfiguration: a lesson in prayer 2016
stories about light of Jesus and light in Guadalupe