Our Lenten journey is now well under way. But today we encounter something strange; something perhaps a little unexpected: we are with the disciples—Peter, James and John—on the Mount of Transfiguration. And we find ourselves asking: isn’t this joyful and glorious event somewhat out of place during Lent? Last week, we followed Jesus into the desert where he fasted and was tempted by the devil for forty days. That makes sense! But the Transfiguration? How does that fit in? Is this some newfangled Vatican II thing to take our minds off the real meaning of Lent? No; if we look at liturgical history, we find that the Transfiguration has been the theme of the Second Sunday in Lent for centuries, even before the event was given its own feast day in August. So the Church must have some very good reasons for calling this to mind just as our Lenten journey has started.

We can discover these reasons by understanding what the Transfiguration meant to the disciples and the point at which it took place in our Savior’s life. Our Gospel reading begins with the words, "Jesus took Peter, James, and John and went up the mountain to pray." This is the 28^th verse of Luke, chapter 9. But if you were to look that verse up in a Bible, you’d find that our lectionary left out this connective clause at the beginning of the verse: "About eight days after he said this". After he said what? It’s understandable why the lectionary omits this: when the passage is read by itself, a reference like this doesn’t make a lot of sense. Still, it’s clear that Luke is making a connection between the Transfiguration and something that Jesus said about eight days prior to this. What was it? When we take a look at the 9^th chapter of his Gospel, we find out—and it’s a pretty significant event in itself.

A week before the Transfiguration, Jesus and his disciples were in the region of Ceasarea Philippi, way in the north of the Land of Israel, at the foot of the tallest and only snow-capped mountain in Palestine, Mount Hermon. Here a mysterious spring of cold water bubbles out of the base of the mountain: one of the sources of the River Jordan; and here there is an ancient shrine to the pagan god, Pan, the god of forests, fields and flocks. And here is where Jesus chose to ask his disciples the two most important questions he would ever ask them: "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" and even more importantly, "Who do you say that I am?" Do you remember Peter’s response? Answering on behalf of all the disciples, he makes his statement of faith—a statement our Lord says was inspired by God the Father Himself—"You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

With the eyes of faith, the disciples see the divine nature of Mary’s Son and recognize that he is the Messiah, promised by Moses and the Prophets. In a few days, three of the disciples were to see this with their physical eyes as well, as Jesus, the Son of God, stood before them on the mountaintop in a blaze of dazzling white light together with Moses and the Prophet Elijah. Do you see the connection, now, between these two events?

But something else happened at this time, eight days before the Transfiguration; something which unlocks the mystery of why the Church has placed the Transfiguration at the beginning of Lent. At that time, Luke tells us that Jesus said to his disciples, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised." This is the first time Jesus mentions his passion to his disciples, and so this is the beginning of Jesus’ Lenten journey as well—his final journey to Jerusalem; his journey toward the Cross, toward the grave, but ultimately, toward his glorious Resurrection. And so, to strengthen his disciples for that journey (because they were to accompany him every step of the way)—to give them courage in the face of inevitable doubt and despair—he shows them a glimpse of his resurrected glory; he gives them a vision of heaven and he affirms in their minds, with the witness of Moses and the Prophets, that indeed he is "the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." And so he gives them hope, he confirms their faith, and he inflames their hearts with the fire of divine love.

And now it becomes clear why we climb the mountain of Transfiguration on this Second Sunday of Lent. Let’s face it, this holy season can become a source of discouragement for us: we set for ourselves goals and objectives; we impose upon ourselves works of charity, piety and penance; and most of us will not keep those promises perfectly. We’re confess our sins, and we promise to God and to ourselves that we will turn from our sins—but we find ourselves falling again into the same old habits. Almost certainly, we will fail in our commitments, perhaps some of us have already failed, even during this first week of Lent. As a result, it’s easy to say, "What’s the use? Why even bother?" We need to be reminded of our ultimate goal: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and our resurrection—the true life to which we are all called. And maybe this will give us the courage to go on—to get up after we have fallen (as Jesus got up from his falls while he carried the Cross) and, with God’s help, to try again.

The disciples failed too, remember. As soon as Jesus announced that he was to suffer and die, Peter rebuked him: "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." When our Lord was arrested on Holy Thursday, the disciples fled in fear, Judas betrayed him, Peter denied him, and all seemed to lose hope. But when they saw the risen Lord, they remembered the Transfiguration and it all made sense. This became the basis of their message and mission as they spread the good new of Jesus throughout the world. Many years later, Saint Peter was to write:

So the message of today’s liturgy is simply this: Don’t be discouraged! Remember the Resurrection life to which you are called, our hope of heaven; and, in the power of that Resurrection, be faithful to the Gospel. Let these words of Saint Paul from today’s second reading ring in your hearts and minds:

May the Lord bless you as you continue your Lenten discipline. And may he bring us all together into his heavenly kingdom.