Reflection for the Second Sunday of Lent, 2025

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 9:28b-36

The Luminous Mystery of the Transfiguration

When Jesus invites you to come “up the mountain” to pray with him, unexpected things can happen!  I think the timing of this Gospel early in Lent tells us that we can be prepared to be surprised.  But we must first go up the mountain, a trek that involves a climb upwards, extra effort, and separation from the world below. Our deeper prayer experiences may require these as well.

A climb takes us up above our daily activities. 

We can get a new perspective on normal experiences, looking over them “from above”.  We have to make the effort to climb, however.  The gravity of our fallen human nature naturally resists rising out of our comfortable faults and sins.  We may not succeed the first time, or maybe even the second or third, but “practice can make us closer to perfect.”

The three imperfect apostles, Peter, James, and John made the effort.

Walking up the mountain with Jesus resulted in the marvelous experience of hearing the voice of the Father.  They separated themselves from their mundane activities and were able to be with Jesus in his glory (a foretaste of heaven) and truly hear the voice of God.  Taking the time to walk upwards with Jesus was well worth it.

Who else was there on this momentous occasion?  Why does the inspired Word include them?

The company we keep is important.

Elijah represented the prophets, those blessed messengers of God to men before the Redeemer came.  Singularly focused on God, they spoke the truth, sometimes at the risk of their lives.  Truth should be our unerring companion, too.

Also on the mountain was the meek Moses, who had embraced his mission to lead God’s chosen people out of Egypt to the Promised Land.  He had listened and obeyed.  In our noisy world, listening to the Holy Spirit is not a luxury but a necessity for our journey.  God will speak to us.  What is our mission on behalf of God’s people?

Where we direct our attention can be a critical choice at times. 

The future Saints Peter, James, and John must have looked up as they climbed alongside Jesus, to see where their next steps should be placed.  What we aim for, dwell upon, and desire, will form the words and actions that follow.  These decisions have consequences in our spiritual lives.

Our upward Lenten journey

Jesus accompanies us as we strive to become more like him. Sometimes the slope of self-knowledge is steep and uncomfortable, or we slip on the rocks of our pride. Our goal is still permanent union with Our dear Lord, and happily, God desires this infinitely more than we do.  He wants to lift us up with him.

Let us continue our climb.  Jesus is always on the journey with us.  His Passion reminds us that he went ahead of us, through sorrows, to the Resurrection.

We hope and pray that your Lenten journey with Jesus will bring you each day closer to your own transformation into Him.

This is my chosen Son; listen to Him.