March 13, 2022

2ND Sunday of Lent (C)  

Remember the Vision

Msgr. Thomas Gervasio

Throughout life there are certainly events that challenge or shake our faith…a sudden death, illness, the loss of a job, betrayal by a spouse or a friend, injustice, or the current horror and tragedy we are witnessing in Ukraine. Such things can lead us to question God’s love, or even God’s very existence.

Our Lord knew well the apostles he had chosen. He knew well that in their weakness their faith would be shaken by his passion and death, by the scandal of the cross. So, he took Peter, James, and John to Mount Tabor to experience his transfiguration, where for a moment, the human veil over his divinity would be lifted so that they would behold his heavenly splendor. Our Lord gave them a glimpse of heaven on earth.

Within the vision, Moses and Elijah appear and speak to the Lord of the exodus that he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. The cross is Jesus’ exodus, his passage through the Red Sea of his passion to glory. Their presence reveals that Jesus is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets.

Through this astounding event, Jesus gave his apostles something to hold on to during the difficult time to come. It was his way of saying, “Remember this vision when the dark clouds of Good Friday descend. Remember that there was something else, something better, yet to come.”

Our Lord was giving his apostles hope and it is a virtue everyone needs. Throughout life’s journey, like the apostles, we always need something to hold on to…to keep us going, especially when dark clouds hover over us. We need to not simply get by in the present but to see a tomorrow.

Hope reassures us that God, who loves us and calls us to eternal life, will never abandon us. Hope is not the same as optimism. It’s not wishful thinking or looking at life through “rose colored glasses” but rather a sure confidence, a certainty that God’s promises will come true.

Those promises are enshrined in the Scriptures. God is a God of promises. There are well over three hundred distinct promises God makes to us, many of them repeated over and over in different forms. This is why on Mount Tabor the voice of the Father is heard: “This is my Chosen Son. Listen to him.”

We listen when we go to the Scriptures. There the promises of Christ give us hope, something firm to hold on to. Today we might make this our prayer:

“Lord, you know the winds and the waves of my life. Help me to hold on to you and to your promises. Help me, in times of doubt and confusion, to have a lively and literal sense of your reality, your power, and your goodness. Replace my fears with trust, my inclinations to rebel with peace. Living close to you, listening to you, help me to see your hand, your purpose, and your will through all things. Strengthen my hope in your promises.”