Mt. 17:1-9
The last Sunday we have witnessed the prayer experience of Jesus in the desert. On the second Sunday of the Lent, the Holy Church invites us to reflect on the transfiguration account of Jesus. From time immemorial mountains were considered as a place of God encounter. For Jesus, it was a habit to spent time in personal prayer. For Jesus, these moments of prayer experience were must, either early in the morning or late in the night turned himself to His Abba.
In this transfiguration account, we see a glimpse of the divine glory of Jesus. Moses and Elijah appear to Jesus the great masters of the law and the prophecies. However, the disciples were carried away by this heavenly majesty and glory. So Peter says: “Lord it is wonderful for us to be here; if you want me, I will make three shelters here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” At that juncture, they heard a divine voice telling them: “This is my son, the beloved he enjoys my favour listen to him.”
The disciples had the privilege to have the foretaste of heaven. This is our final state for which all of us are called to be. That’s why they did not want to lose sight of it and requested Jesus to remain there for some more time. However, it was not yet time neither for Jesus or disciples to enter into that glorious state. Nevertheless, the voice they heard over there assured them of this unfathomable grace provided if they listened to Jesus.
The transfiguration account presents to us the two great pillars of the Old Testament, Moses, and prophet Elijah. It is through Moses God gave the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel. These laws were meant to preserve the love relationship between Yahweh and the people of Israel. Yahweh says to Moses: “Keep, then, this entire commandment that I am commanding you today, so that you may have strength to go in and occupy the land that you are crossing over to occupy, and so that you may live long in the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give them and to their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Deut.11:8-9) Over time Israelites lost the real spirit of the law and they became legalistic. Jesus spent quite a bit of time during his public ministry to make them understand especially the religious elite like Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes that one needs to go beyond the exact fulfillment of the law to the spirit of the law that is the personal relationship with Yahweh and a life based on love that makes a person worthy to enter into the kingdom of God, the promised land.
The second person is prophet Elijah, he is considered as the greatest of all the prophets and it is believed that Elijah did not die, he was taken up to heaven on a chariot and he would come once again. In the book of prophet Malachi, we read: “I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.” (Malachi 4: 5-6)
The presence of Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor explains to us that all the prophecies and laws are fulfilled in the person of Jesus.”Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” (Mt. 5:17) With Jesus begins the New Testament: ‘a new law based on love and a new prophecy of hope.’ We are called to listen to Jesus and build our life based on his words and for sure we will be blessed with the Promised Land, the eternity with our Abba. Jesus says: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” (Jn. 2-3 ) May this Lenten season inspire each one of us to follow Jesus radically and let us pray like disciples: “Lord it is good that we are there…”