SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

RANDOM REFLECTIONS

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT ....... MARCH 20TH

MATHEW 17:1-9 ...... HIS FACE SHONE LIKE THE SUN

God the Father Yahweh had a definite purpose for the three disciples and for us in bringing about the scene of the 'transfiguration' in the life of Christ. Jesus revealed and manifested himself in all his divine glory and majesty though he was clothed in human form during his stay on earth. He was true God and true man. The era of the Old Covenant with its Laws, rituals, observances and prophecies have come to full completion and fulfillment in the perfect sinless God-man Christ and is about to give way to the New Covenant being inaugurated by Christ himself by his life, teachings, sufferings, passion, death and glorious resurrection. Moses and Elijah who represent the Laws and prophecies in the Old Testament  prefigured Christ and led the exodus of God's people from slavery, idolatry and false worship. They were only messengers of God and acted under God's inspiration and guidance. But now Christ himself the 'beloved Son of God' and Second person of the Trinity, who in final fulfillment will bring about salvation from Sin, Satan and Death to the entire world by his crucifixion, death and resurrection as told by God in Genesis 3:15 is the harbinger of the New Testament. That is why in the transfiguration scene Jesus is left alone and Moses and Elijah depart and God instructs the disciples and us to listen to his beloved Son and obey him. Peter is taken up by the sensory bliss and spiritual ecstasies of the moment whereas Christ was looking forward with eagerness to his forthcoming passion and death and rising again on the Third Day in fulfillment of the will of the Father. Likewise Christ is asking us during this Lenten season to take up our day to day crosses and faithfully follow him and to receive the crown from him at the end of times. First the sufferings and then the glory, the focus is the saving and joyful Cross of Christ. In all this we rejoice that God has promised to make our burden light when we turn to him in repentance and faith.

God Bless