What a contrast between last Sunday’s Gospel, the first Sunday of Lent, when we heard about Jesus being temped by the devil in the desert and today’s Gospel where Jesus was transfigured allowing his glory to be seen by Peter, James, and John (Matt 17:1-9). The placement of those two Gospels side by side for the first and second Sundays of Lent each year is a bit like life—there are difficult moments and lighter moments. There are times for everyone that are challenging and times are that joyful. The Gospel of the first Sunday of Lent set the scene for Lent, a time to overcome temptation and turn to God, and in today’s Gospel, the transfiguration of Jesus, we see a glimpse of his future resurrection reminding us that the goal of Lent is our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. So, during those moments when life is challenging, can we remember to look beyond the pain and not forget who we really are—God’s beloved?
Jesus’ transfiguration really was a glimpse of his future resurrection and I think the image on the shroud of Turin confirms this. The shroud is the most studied artifact in the world. There is no technology in the world that can produce the image on it. The image of the crucified man is not paint or ink and is only on the surface of each fiber of the cloth; it has not penetrated beyond the surface of each fiber of the cloth. When photography was invented, a big shock occurred because when the first photograph was developed in the dark room, it was like a negative rather than a photo, with light and dark reversed, and revealed details not visible to the naked eye. Yet the cloth is from many centuries before photography was invented. Also, the image indicates how far each part of the body of crucified man was from the cloth by the intensity of the image, like a 3-D image. Almost every test on the cloth is contested both ways by scientists and there is lots of fake news about it on the internet. But at the end of the day, we have to come back to where we started: there is no technology in the world that can produce that image. So what produced the image? The most common explanation is that it was a burst of light radiation at the moment of Jesus’ resurrection. It had to have been just the right amount because if it were not strong enough it would not have left the image on the cloth and if it were too strong it would have burned up the cloth. Of course, no one can say for definite it was the cloth over Jesus in the tomb at the moment of his resurrection, but perhaps we could apply to it this famous quote: “for those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don’t believe, no proof is possible.” The light of Jesus’ transfiguration was a glimpse of the light of his resurrection. Jesus’ transfiguration reminds us that the goal of Lent is our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.
When we listen to the Gospel on other Sundays, Jesus is doing something—he is preaching or working miracles. But not today. Today instead, in his transfiguration, Jesus is revealing who he really is. Jesus’ transfiguration is also revealing who we are, revealing about our future glorification in the next life. Many passages in Scripture remind us how different we will be in the next life. Jesus said in his explanation of the parable of weeds that the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matt 13:43). A well-known passage is in the first letter of John: “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) In Paul’s letter to the Philippians we read, “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body.” (Phil 3:20-21) In Paul’s letter to the Colossians we read, “When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:4)
The placement of the Gospel last Sunday, Jesus being tempted, side by side with the Gospel today, Jesus’ transfiguration, reminds us that during difficult times we have a glorious destiny awaiting us in the next life. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians we read, “we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” (2 Cor 4:16-18) In Paul’s letter to the Romans we read, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” (Rom 8:18) When Moses came down Mount Sinai after meeting God, his face shone (Exod 34:29-35). In the next life, what awaits us is much more than a shining face.
In the meantime, we remain fervent in prayer so that during the trials of life we may remain faithful remembering the future destiny awaiting us revealed in Jesus’ transfiguration.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2026
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Second Sunday of Lent Year A
Jesus always ready to forgive 2023
Jesus’ transfiguration reminds us who we are and not to be negative
Related Homilies: Second Sunday of Lent Year C August 6
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