On this second Sunday of Lent, we are invited by the Lord to take up a journey to mount Tabor to witness His Transfiguration, a pre-figuration of His impending glory and ours as well. The primary purpose of Jesus’ Transfiguration was to reaffirm the will of the Father for his Son regarding suffering, cross, death and resurrection. God’s secondary aim was to strengthen the faith of His disciples so that they may not drift away on the face of his suffering and death, rather look beyond Good Friday to Easter Sunday. A third aim was to give us a hope that our sufferings will be turned into glory and He, after our earthly lives “will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Phil 3:21).

 (1) Our lives are transformed by every sacrament we receive: Baptism, for example, transforms us into children of God and heirs of heaven while Confirmation transforms us into brave witnesses of and warriors for Christ and Reconciliation transforms sinners into saints.

(2) The “transfiguration” in the Holy Mass is the Source of our strength: In each Holy Mass, the bread and wine we offer on the altar are transformed into the crucified and risen, living body and blood of Jesus by transubstantiation. Just as Jesus’ transfiguration strengthened the apostles in their time of trial, each holy Mass should be our Source of strength against temptations, and our renewal during Lent. In addition, our Holy Communion with the living Jesus should be the Source of our daily “transfiguration,” transforming our minds and hearts so that we may do better by humble and selfless service to others.

(3) Christ’s Transfiguration gives us the message of encouragement and hope: In moments of doubt and during our dark moments of despair and hopelessness, pain and suffering, the thought of our future transformation in Heaven will help us to reach out to God and to listen to His consoling words: “This is my beloved son.” Let us offer our Lenten sacrifices to our Lord so that, through these practices of Lent and through the acceptance of our daily crosses, we may grow closer to Jesus in his suffering, may share in the carrying of his cross, and finally may share the glory of his second “transfiguration,” namely, his Resurrection.

In this year that is dedicated to prayer, in preparation to the jubilee 2025, let us try to climb the mountain to be with the Lord in prayer so that He may transform our lives like His own.