REFLECTION
FROM THE DESK OF THE PASTOR
Last
week, the first Sunday of Lent – the Gospel reading led us to the desert with
Jesus, where he prayed and fasted for forty days and nights and was tempted by
the devil and we had a “desert experience” of spiritually discipling ourselves
through prayer, fasting and works of piety. This week the second Sunday of Lent,
the Gospel Reading takes us to the mountain top to contemplate the mystery of
the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus and calls us to “holiness” by having a
‘mountain top experience” of spiritually strengthening in us the cardinal
Christian virtues Faith, Hope and Love. The transfiguration of Jesus is a small
glimpse of the destination of the Lenten Journey, Christ’s risen glory. It
reminds us that the “Lenten penance” will give way to the “Easter Joy”. It
gives hope that we might reach that same destination, the abolition of death
and the bringing to light of life and immortality through the Gospel. For our
Lenten journey to be effective and fruitful, we need to have destination in
mind. There is, of course, a danger of losing sight of it, of turning our eyes
away. We need Christ to lift us up to take away our fear. So, let our eyes of
faith be fixed on God, and let our hearts be filled with hope and let us
joyfully look forward to the ultimate glory that awaits us.
