SUNDAY REFLECTION

TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD; A TEST OF OUR FAITH.

Reflection of Second Sunday of Lent, Year C by Rev. Fr. Theodore Martinos.

Whenever we move about, the shadow of our body reflects in front or Behind Us. In this Journey of Lent, There’s an image that cast a Shadow throughout the 40 day Journey and indeed on the whole of humanity – THE CRUCIFIX (As shown in the Picture below).
It depicts the height of Suffering ,Pain, Anguish! That’s why during this period of Lent, it should not be ‘business’ as Usual, we should not take this period as any other day enjoying the pleasures of life as Usual.
There should be a difference as well as a feeling of  Soberness and Sobriety. If you haven’t felt this way thus far, then you’re not a Christian, you’ve not been observing the 3 Pillars Of Lent – Fasting, Almsgiving and Prayer!!

What does the Crucifix remind you of when you gaze at it❔
Romans 5-8, It says, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The CRUCIFIX is our Symbol of Salvation, it brings about a feeling of sadness because it Portends Suffering. Jesus was Probably in tears at Golgotha(where he was Crucified) when he was being  Nailed, Mercilessly Whipped and Spat on, he was Stripped and  Naked- A feeling of Shame! It was the most gruesome of punishments at that time, reserved for the most hardened criminals. He went through all of this ‘Drama of Violence’ for You and Me!  Jesus invites us today to take a closer walk with him for 40 days.

The disciples didn’t understand what Jesus meant when he said, in Luke 9:22-23
“22 The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders and chief priest and Scibes and be Slain, and be raised on the Third day
23  And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself ,and take up his cross daily and follow me”. The disciples told Jesus they wanted to remain but Jesus said, the same way he’s saying us today,  No, you’ll have to pick up your cross in other to go the Next Level!.

St Paul says in Romans 1:16, ” For I am not ashamed of the gospel(Cross) because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile”
  Are you ashamed of your cross❔Because you are likely to run away from that which you’re ashamed  of.
St Paul further describes Such persons as Enemies of the Cross! Are you an Enemy of the Cross❔An enemy is one who Shys away from following Jesus especially when now he asks us to take a closer walk with him during the period of Lent❕
The Cross is an Instrument that God will use to lead you to your Glory! Thats why St Thomas Aquinas says – “God can permit evil only because Good can come out of it”.  Evil is Everything Opposed to Good, your pain, your Suffering, your Worries are all classified as Evil.
Perhaps you’re passing through a Lot Right now, Jesus is saying to you, Take up your Cross and follow me as I lead you to your glory❕

Today’s Gospel can be seen only in the three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). Luke’s Account Specified, “8 days Later” after the disciples were still in fear and Shock about what Jesus told them eight day before about his Suffering and Torment to come.
 Jesus Seeing their fears, the same way he sees our fears today because of our Shortages, Pain, difficulties, He’s Aware of our fears to take a closer walk with him that’s why he took Peter, James and John up to the mountain to reveal his Glory!(Luke 9 :28)

The Event of the Transfiguration is a faith strengthening exercise, it was to tell the disciples, to tell you and me that the experience of Good Friday doesn’t end there! It ends at the Resurrection on Easter Sunday❕Whatever Sorrow/Pain you’re experiencing today, know that it had a beginning.. It Will definitely have an End❕
Romans 8: 18 Says, “For I reckon with the Sufferings of the present time are not Worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in Us”

Jesus Picked James and John Because he saw their fear when they requested to Sit at the right and Left hand of God, he knew they wanted a quick escape – a wrong path, out of fear in them.
My dear Brothers and sisters, that Quick escape route you want to take to avoid carrying your cross will “Sink”, Jesus wants to Rescue you today!
He picked peter because he knew he was going to mess up later by betraying him three times!
That betrayal you are planning, Jesus sees it in your heart and is asking you, Can you trust me while I Lead you❔

So, Jesus Was transfigured in the presence of Peter, James and John, he appeared in glory alongside Moses(Representing the Law ) and Elijah(Representing the Prophets). Jesus chose this two because they have had a glimpse of Transfiguration in the Past.
Moses had his at Mount Sinai where he was instructed by God to come up along with 3 Elders -Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 other elders to the mountain! The Bible recorded that when the Bright light from the Lord shone on him it reflected on the Elders!
Elijah’s glimpse of Transfiguration  could be seen in 1st kings 19:10 – ,”And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

The Luke’s account of the transfiguration records that Moses and Elijah Conversed with Jesus (Luke 9: 30)
They were discussing about his exodus ,Moses led the People of Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 14) and he  was discussing with Jesus how Jesus will lead us from Slavery to Freedom!
Jesus wants an Exodus to happen in your life today only if you give him the chance❕

At the End of the Transfiguration, a voice came, “This is my beloved, in whom am well pleased, Listen to him”(Luke 9:35).
Have Confidence in the word of God❕This is only possible by Reading Spending Ample time to read the Bible!
At the wedding at Cana(John 2:1-12),  Jesus’s Mother, Virgin Mary instructs the Servants to ” Do whatever he tells you ” 
Can you do whatever he tells you when you haven’t read what he’s saying in the Bible❔

At the Lagos Archdiocesan Lenten Pilgrimage yesterday, 16th March, 2019 , the Reflection delivered by Rev. Fr. Fidelis Umoren was themed, “Without Faith, you cannot please God” He describes Faith as Saying it is So even when it doesn’t appear to be So but because Jesus has confirmed it So. He referred to the Letter to the Hebrews (Hebrew 11) -” Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”

Fr Fidelis Further States that, “if you don’t have faith, it’s an insult against the integrity of God”, and that’s a sin that can NOT be forgiven!

The Bible says all things  are possible for everyone who believes -Do you believe❔
Do you have faith in any other thing except God❔

In the First Reading of today, God started something wonderful in the Life of the Israelites, he told Abraham to ‘Look up’ to see the homeland he was taking the people of Israel to, but for  ‘we’ the New Isreal, it’s Heaven- From where we await our Lord Jesus Christ who will change your disappointment into blessings, failures in Success, Sorrow into Joy.
And that should be the Position of every Christian, looking towards heaven. No wonder the psalmist says in Psalm 121 –
“ I Lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.”That’s where we should set our gaze and lookin up to Jesus on the Cross, which is what you’ll use to Subject all your Problems and Difficulties❕

As we Reflect on the Event of the Transfiguration of Jesus,

 Have you ever stood at the top floor of an 8 storey Building Before? Everything down Looks small right? That’s How it is when you “Lift up yourself” in Fervent Prayers, Every problem or difficulty will Look small to you❕
There’s nothing beautiful about your problem, Jesus wants to turn things around for you, only if you have Faith in him and Draw Closer to him in Prayers! Fasting and Almsgiving -The Three Pillars of Lent❕✝

Have a Wonderful Week ahead!

                                                                   
SUNDAY SCHOOL CORNER!

The Children within Ages 7-10 were not Left out in the Sunday’s Spiritual nourishment as they were equally guided through the account of the the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28).
The Memory Verse for the Children is Psalm 27:1 –

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?”