Abraham did not look back when he was put to the test, but instead he always looked forward with great hope and trust firmly placed in God.
The Lenten message is contrary to the message that we hear proclaimed from within this world. The Lenten message is about doing mortification in order that we can draw close to Christ while the message that we often hear proclaimed from within this world is one of pleasure. In our American way of life we can practically have anything that we desire without having to wait to get it. If we want food we can have it, if we want to see a movie we can do it, if we want to buy something on the spur of the moment we can, and this list goes on and on. We truly don't always understand what it means to give sacrifice. The season of Lent is about giving sacrifice because it is in this manner that we will be drawn closer to Christ. We sacrifice when we fast because in the process we are letting go of our wordily desires, we sacrifice when we give alms because we are giving of our excess, and we sacrifice when we pray because we are surrendering our time to that which is truly most valuable.
With this wordily message surrounding us it is easy to lose sight and to get caught up within it. Last Sunday we were reminded of this fact in our Gospel when Christ entered into the desert and there was tempted. We too have entered into the desert of the Lenten season and throughout the course of this period we will be tempted to not take the need to mortify our flesh seriously. It is for this reason that we now look to this week's Gospel with great hope. Before the eyes of the apostles Christ was transfigured which means that before their eyes they were given an intimate glimpse into the fact that Christ was God and thus they too were given a glimpse into the Heavenly Kingdom. When we are tempted during this season to give up hope we must remember the Transfiguration of the Lord because at the heart of it's message is one of hope.
We need this glimpse if we are ever to stay on course towards the Heavenly Kingdom. Without this glimpse it would be easy to ask ourself what is the point and thus to get wrapped up in the comfortability of the world even when it comes at the cost of our relationship with God. Lent is most important for us because it helps us to take control of our passions and in return to properly orient them towards God. This would be an impossible task if we did not set the Transfiguration before our eyes because this event gives us the hope that is necessary to succeed and also shows us the beauty of a life as is reflected through its Heavenly splendor.
The Transfiguration of the Lord was most necessary for the apostles to hold steadfast in their faith instead of so easily running away from it. It would not be long after this event that they had to endure the trials that came with the Lord's passion. Through the Transfiguration they experienced this most wondrous scene where Christ's clothing became so white that is was stated to us that no clothing maker on this earth could make a garment equal to what they now beheld. In this experience they also beheld Moses who represented the Law and Elijah who represented all the prophets which comes as a confirmation that this in the Person that all of history had pointed its way towards. Finally, they were given the same confirmation that we heard at our Lord's baptism by hearing: "This is my beloved Son; to him, then, listen." This statement confirmed to them that the Incarnation had indeed taken place and thus Christ was God made man. No matter how much the world would attempt to tear them away from Christ this event truly helped them to stay grounded in their faith.
As we continue our journey into this Lenten season may we always keep the Transfiguration before our eyes. When we are tempted to turn away from the path that leads us to Christ may we remember the Transfiguration for it shows us the path which leads towards Christ and thus also towards Heaven. When we loose hope along the way may we find that hope through the glimpse into the Heavenly Kingdom that is found in the Transfiguration. We cannot find this hope and joy in the many messages which attempt to distract us in this world, but we can find it through Christ. May we truly come to trust in Him during this Lenten season.
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