The Other Side of Transfiguration
by: Fr. Binu Scaria, S.D.B.
The second Sunday of lent invites us to reflect on the extraordinary experience of Transfiguration. After the confession of Peter about Jesus as Messiah, Jesus prophecies about his passion and death. After that they go to the mountain to pray. As Peter James and John were praying with Jesus, He is transfigured. Moses and Elijah appear and talk to Jesus. Peter being taken up by this experience wanted to continue being there. But Jesus does not permit that.
This event reflects three important themes. The glorification of Jesus the son of God as a man, the fear of the human being about suffering and the temptation of a life of faith without works.
Jesus’s prophecy about his passion was against the Jewish Messianic hopes. The disciples could not understand or accept the fact that Jesus was going to suffer. They were expecting a successful King who would liberate them from all sufferings as they considered suffering as a curse. Jesus reveals himself before these doubting disciples as the glorious saviour before his disciples. “This is my son, Listen to him”. (Luke 9: 35)
Peter and the disciples feared suffering as they considered it a curse. But Jesus convinces them that He is the saviour and his path is the way of the cross. In the scriptural description of the transfiguration, Peter expresses a desire “It is nice to be here, let us make three tents, one for you, one for Elijah and one for Moses.” This is seen as a temptation where the calmness and serenity of prayer becomes an escapism from the fulfilment of one’s mission.
One may ask the question how one’s suffering can contribute to others. How the sufferings of Jesus can benefit me today? How can my sufferings and sacrifices be beneficial to others? These question are asked by many even today. Although illogical our own human experience has answers to it. There was a mother who was burning candles and praying in the church as the son was writing his examination. There was a mother who had her son in the prison and she slept on the floor thinking that his son had no bed to sleep on. There was a boy who was told by the doctor to take only soup because of his ill health. His father who did not have a meal without meat or fish sacrifices them and takes only soup to feel one with the son who is sick. These things may be illogical for a human mind. But these things do strengthen us. The prayer of the mother strengthens the son who feels the support of his mother. The gestures of the mother who slept on floor and the father who took only soup were expressions which strengthened the children who were suffering. They believed they were not suffering alone. Their parents were with the in their suffering.
Jesus tells us today, that he shares our sufferings and pains. He has won salvation for us through his sufferings. So our sufferings will be a participation in his sufferings which is a cause of salvation for all. The scriptures tell us to listen to him daily so that we will receive this strength not to run away from our responsibilities, but face them courageously. The observance of Lent is an occasion for us to participate in the sufferings of Christ for the good of all. It has a salvific significance.
