Sunday the 16th of March 2025 - Second Sunday of Lent

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18/ Ps 27(26)/ Philippians 3:17-4:1/ Luke 9:28b-36

We are bombarded with the shouting voices of individuals and groups all seeking to call us to their way of thinking and behaving. We have the media presenting their various slants on the events around us, our leaders, political representatives and governments are all clamouring to be heard by those who keep them in power. Protesters, people using the many social media platforms, so called celebrities, and those closer to home, our family and friends, all seek to engage us in one way or another. We are always at the mercy of those seeking to impose their influence on us. Consider the vast amounts of money spent in the advertising industry to encourage sales in products or services. The voices we hear, listen to, and take notice of can have a profound effect on how we think, act and live.

In the gospel today, Jesus again went to a quiet place to pray. On this occasion he took Peter, James, and John with him to the top of a mountain. As Jesus was praying, something spectacular happened. His face was changed in appearance, he glowed, no, he shone like the sun. His clothing became dazzling white. Two great figures from the past appeared with Jesus, talking with him about the events to come. Moses, representing the law of the Lord, and Elijah, representing the prophets all pointing to what Jesus had come to accomplish. Moses and Elijah appeared in glory, the glory that is obtained on reaching heaven and the union with the Holy Trinity, but this glory is the reflected glory shining from Jesus. Jesus, accompanied by Moses and Elijah, gave Peter, James, and John, and indeed all of us, a glimpse of the Glory of heaven and what Jesus accomplished through his life death and resurrection. It is the glory displayed by Moses and Elijah that is the promise we have from Jesus. We will see him as he really is, because we will be like him.

Paul puts it like this in his letter to the Philippians. Our true citizenship is in heaven, and we await in this life the life to come when Jesus will transform our earthly bodies into bodies like his, glorious bodies, reflecting his glory as Moses and Elijah were seen to be doing on the mountain. Jesus gave us this glimpse of his heavenly glory as encouragement. For Peter, James, and John, it prepared them for the trials they were to face, it is the same for us. It gives us something to look forward to especially when we are faced with the challenges this life can throw at us.

In the subdued days of Lent when we tend to contemplate our faults and failings, we need the encouragement that our readings today give us. The first reading tells of a covenant made by God between him and the people represented by Abram. God is always faithful to his promises even if we are not. Time and time again humanity broke the covenant with God, but God always remained faithful, ultimately sending his son, Jesus, to fulfil all the promises and defeat sin and death for ever. Paul reminded the Philippians, as he reminds us today, that despite our failings and the very self-cantered world we live in our true destination and citizenship belongs to a kingdom beyond this world.

The gospels move the story of Jesus towards Jerusalem and all that was to happen there. Jesus was to be glorified but only by enduring suffering and death. It is the same for us, we reach the glory of heaven only by passing through the challenges on earth and ultimately through death to reach the promises made in the ancient covenants that were fulfilled by Jesus. We are reminded not to become so engrossed in the cares of this world that we lose sight of our ultimate destination in the next. We will be transfigured into the image of Jesus reflecting his glory as Moses and Elijah did on the mountain. We are refugees in this world, but our baptism assures us of our citizenship in the world to come. In the same way that our passports here contain our biometric information, so our heavenly passports contain the image of our Christian way of life.

Even as we look forward to our eternal life, we must not neglect our responsibilities while we are in the here and now. Our responsibilities as heavenly citizens begin here in this life. As Christians we must give those around us a foretaste of life to come, a glimpse of the heavenly glory seen by Peter, James, and John, on the mountain. We should be building up the kingdom of God here on earth, a kingdom that means, justice, equality, mercy, and forgiveness. All things that this world needs so badly.

We know what citizenship means, we see people desperately trying to reach countries where they can find basic human rights and values. They will risk everything to live in a safe country. We know the security our passport affords us, we know how it feels to return home after a long journey. It is no different in respect of our life to come, it will be like a homecoming but one that we have never experienced before because we will have reached our ultimate destination.

Lent is the season when we can take ourselves away to a quiet place to be with Jesus and pray. This is how we can listen to and hear Jesus speaking to us without all the distractions of our hectic modern lives. If it was important for Jesus to pray like this, how much more so must it be for us?

We are prone to sinfulness and live in a sinful world because we listen to the voice of temptation. The account of Adam and Eve reflects the ease in which we can be influenced by temptation. With such a cacophony of voices all around us today it is vital that we recognise where they are coming from, what they are encouraging us to think, believe, and do. Are these voices calling us to an authentic Christian life of love of God and love of each other? Or are they sowing disharmony, hate, and selfishness. We must take note of the voice from the cloud on the gospel mountain, a direct command to listen to the voice of Jesus, the Chosen One, who speaks to us through prayer, scripture, and his Church. The voice that will lead us to our true home.

God Bless Brendan