Pope Benedict XVI stated of the virtue of hope: “Whoever believes in Christ has a future. For God has no desire for what is withered, dead, ersatz, and finally discarded: he wants what is fruitful and alive, he wants life in its fullness and he gives us life in its fullness."
It is the virtue of hope that becomes important on this Second Sunday of Lent where we receive this glimpse into the Transfiguration of the Lord. Very soon the apostles will come to embrace the event’s of the Lord’s Passion, but this event will give them hope in its midst for it delivers a message of who the Lord truly is, He who is fully human and fully divine.
If the Lord were not to be fully human He would be unable to touch us and become one with us. If the Lord were not to be fully divine then He would be unable to save us. The events of the Transfiguration of the Lord assist us in coming to encounter hope for through these events we begin to see the glory of Heaven which awaits us and we thus receive a foretaste for the coming of Easter.
The cross is something which is very real. We are called to take up the cross and to follow after the Lord. We know from experience that this statement is something which is difficult. If we attempt to endure the weight of the cross without the glimpse of Heaven it will be too much for us to bare and we will lose this glimmer of hope. At the same time if we glance towards Heaven and leave behind the cross then we will lose the glimmer of hope in the midst of trial.
The Transfiguration of the Lord sends forth the virtue of hope for it reminds us of all that we will come to endure, both the cross and the resurrection. We are not called to live as if we are dead, but instead as one who is found to be fruitful and alive. From the Transfiguration we can see that Christ is God made Flesh and thus in the midst of every trial and temptation we are given every reason to rejoice.
It is through sin that we fail to live as we ought and to reject the cross of the Lord. Through sin and despair we live not as one who is found to be fruitful and alive, but instead as one who is withered and dead. During this Lenten season we should realize that there is only one way that we can come to reject such a wretched state and that is to turn towards Christ and to hand over our life unto Him.
The Sacrament of Confession is the perfect vessel for this reality for through it we confess our sin, receive God’s mercy, and become receptive of His grace. The Sacrament of Confession is not to be sent to the executioner’s block, but is to open ourself up to God’s mercy and to live. If we desire to be found alive and fruitful then the Sacrament of Confession becomes our answer for it allows us to be healed and to be found alive.
As we continue this Lenten season and come to embrace the cross within our life may we do so with this glimpse into the Transfiguration of the Lord and the great hope which springs forth from it which brings us to look towards Heaven and our celebration of Easter.
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