Treat prayer as a moment of solitude with God
March 16, 2025–2nd Sunday of Lent
Readings: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27, R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Gospel–Luke 9:28b-36
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem where Jesus was to fulfill his mission on the Cross. This is an important context for our reflections on the mystery of the Transfiguration.
The three points for reflection: One, Jesus was at prayer when the Transfiguration took place. Two, the Father assured Jesus and us through Peter, James, and John about the fulfillment of the mission of salvation. Three, the good news is to be proclaimed in the world, especially to the poor.
The Gospel opens with a description of Jesus praying when the Transfiguration took place. “Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.” (cf. Luke 9:28b-36)
One insight we have on Jesus’ prayer time is that he prayed to check with his Father whether he was fulfilling his mission according to how the Father wants it.
We saw this in the Agony in the Garden: “Not my will but your will be done.” (cf. Luke 22: 42)
Here he was again seeking the confirmation that his path to Jerusalem was according to the Father’s will.
Discernment
This gives us the perspective on prayer as a moment of solitude with God to discern, checking if we are doing his will, living out our mission according to how he wants it done.
Amid prayer, the Father assured Jesus and us through Peter, James, and John about the fulfillment of the mission of salvation.
The Transfiguration of Jesus, showing his glory, and the appearance of Moses and Elijah together with Jesus, was a double affirmation.
It was an affirmation for Jesus that he was on the right track. He was the continuation and fulfillment of the two greatest traditions or pillars of the Jewish religion: the law as represented by Moses, and the prophets represented by Elijah.
It was an assurance for Peter, James, and John, and for us through the apostles, that Jesus’ Cross will lead to the glory of the Resurrection. Jesus wanted to assure his disciples it will not end in death on the Cross, but in the glory of the Resurrection.
Moments of grace
The Father revealed to the apostles and to us: “This is my [beloved] Son; listen to him.” (cf. Luke) This was the assurance from the Father—the life-changing moment of grace for the apostles and for us. These moments of grace we receive as we seek God’s will and mission for us and seek, too, an affirmation that we are on the right track.
Then there is the final “command” that the Good News of the Cross and Resurrection be proclaimed in the world and especially to the poor.
After witnessing the Transfiguration, Peter wanted to stay on top of the mountain, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But they were not to stay on top of the mountain, and went down back into the world. This was explicit in Matthew 17: 9: “As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
In 1972, Fr. Ben Villote gave what has become a classic homily in the Ateneo de Manila. With the Gospel of the Transfiguration, he gave his homily to the graduating class of the Ateneo de Manila Grade School, “Bumaba sa Bundok.”
It is an invitation for us to go back into the world, from our spiritual experiences, our experiences of grace, of God’s presence, to proclaim the Good News, especially to the poor.
This was a life-changing moment of grace for the apostles that was to inspire them in their mission to proclaim the Good News of Salvation to the world through the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus.
This, too, is the grace available to us. Our mission is always a sharing in Jesus’ mission handed down to through the apostles. It is to proclaim the Good News of Salvation in and through the Cross and Resurrection.
We pray for the grace that we too may be transfigured like Jesus to live our life according to the pattern and grace of the Cross and Resurrection.
