Looking Backward
and Forward
Readings: On 12:14; Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; 2 Tm 1:8-10; Mt 17:1-9
Second Sunday of Lent (A), Feb. 11, 2008
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him”
(Mt 17:5)
EACH YEAR on the Second Sunday of Lent, the Gospel reading concerns the transfiguration of Jesus. With the presence of Moses and Elijah, the transfiguration narrative reminds us that what we commemorate during Lent is part of the history of our salvation. The transfiguration also anticipates or previews the glory and splendor of Jesus at Easter and beyond, as well as our own hopes for holiness and eternal life. Thus it leads us to look backward and forward.
In the Bible the history of our salvation begins with the call of Abraham (Genesis 12). After Adam’s sin, Cain’s murder of Abel, the flood and the Tower of Babel, the call of Abraham marks a fresh start and the birth of the people of God. Speaking directly to Abraham, God promises to form him into a great nation, to make his name great and to bless him and his descendants.
The transfiguration narrative introduces two more great figures in salvation history, Moses and Elijah. Moses led his people out of slavery in Egypt, received the Torah on Mount Sinai and brought God’s people to the edge of the promised land. Elijah, the great prophet in northern Israel during the ninth century B.C., performed healings and other miracles and stood up to Israel’s external enemies and the wicked within Israel. Their presence in Matthew’s transfiguration account emphasizes Jesus’ continuity with the Law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah) in salvation history.
The word “transfiguration” refers to a change of form or shape. The Greek word for this is “metamorphosis.” At the end of
Matthew’s account Jesus describes the event as a “vision.” On a mountain somewhere in Galilee the disciples experience the transfiguration, or metamorphosis, of Jesus. His face dazzles like the sun; his clothes become radiant with light. The disciples are given a preview of the glorious figure Jesus will soon become at Easter and beyond. Their experience reaches its climax with an interpretation given by a voice from a cloud (a symbol of the divine presence): “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” These are the same words used to identify Jesus after his baptism by John. They mark him as God’s son and servant, as well as the authoritative teacher.
Reading about Jesus’ transfiguration early in Lent reminds us that Lent moves inexorably toward Easter and the resurrection of Jesus. In order to observe Lent properly we need to remember that the central mysteries of Jesus’ death and resurrection give Lent its meaning and direction. The transfiguration reminds us that the way of the cross leads to resurrection and eternal life, and that the purpose of Lent is to help us better to enter into those mysteries.
The significance of the transfiguration in our lives is captured very well by today’s selection from 2 Timothy. The Pauline writer prefaces what was very likely an early summary of Christian faith with a call to “bear your share of hardship for the Gospel.” He goes on to recall that Cod has “saved us and called us to a holy life...in Christ Jesus.” The theological word for this is sanctification.
In the biblical context holiness is primarily an attribute or property of God; God is the holy one par excellence. Persons and things are holy by virtue of their relationship or contact with God. All holiness is a reflection and extension of God’s holiness. One of the tides applied to Jesus in the New Testament is “the Holy One of God.” This theme is present in the transfiguration story, which highlights the brilliance of Jesus and identifies him as God’s beloved Son. As the Holy One of God, Jesus makes manifest the holiness of God the Holy One.
This way of talking about Jesus is present in the early Christian profession of faith quoted in 2 Timothy. In Christ Jesus our savior, the grace of God has been made manifest, and he is the one who has “brought life and immortality to light.” We can become holy by listening to him as the voice from the cloud recommends. We listen to Jesus when we take seriously and act upon his wise teachings, when we follow his example in bringing healing and compassion to those in need and when we try to remain faithful in the face of the sufferings that may come into our lives. The transfiguration of Jesus makes us look backward over the sweep of salvation history and forward to our own resurrection and eternal life with God.
Daniel J; Harrington
DANIEL J. HARRINGTON, S.J., is professor of
New Testament at Weston Jesuit School of
Theology in Cambridge, Mass.
Praying With Scripture
•How do Abraham, Moses and Elijah point forward to Jesus?
• Imagine yourself among the disciples at Jesus’ transfiguration. What do you see? What do you hear? How do you react?
• What does the call to holiness mean for you?
Congratulations and thank you to our Parents Working For Children Board for honoring all of our past Presidents. The entire luncheon experience was enjoyable from beginning to end. We are so indebted to each President for her leadership, and her part in helping our school and community to continue to move forward. Thank you!
Parents, please remember school rules and regulations do not change or become relaxed as we move into the Spring months. Proper grooming / dressing for success in full uniform is expected each day. Thank you to the majority of parents who send their children to school fully prepared. Parents who are dashing in at the last minute each morning are not doing a service to their children. Give yourself an additional 10 minutes in the morning. Remember that traffic is a constant situation in LA.
Remind your child that respect and manners go hand in hand
Respect and manners go together. If your child respects others, his words and actions- his manners—show it Studies show that people respond positively to polite people. With good manners, your child will attract more friends and do better in school.
So remind your child:
Manners matter. People feel good when your child treats them with -respect. He’ll learn their respect, too.
To follow the golden rule—treat others as he’d like to be treated.
• To sayplease, thank you, you’re welcome and excuse me. Prompt him to use these when he forgets.
• To wait for a pause in conversation rather than interrupt.
• To recognize when he’s impolite. If he realizes he has been rude, he should apologize for his actions.
Above all, parents need to model good manners. Speak with respect about others—particularly your child teacher.Source:Mchele Borba, Parents Do Make a Difference: How To Raise Kids with So/id Character, Strong Minds, and Caring Hearts, ISBN: 0-7879-4605-2 (Jossey-Bass, 1-888-378-2537, www.josseybass.com)
Avoid the common pitfalls of overprotective parents
When children are born, they really are helpless. And it’s the job of parents to protect them in every way they can.
But as kids grow up, the need to protect them changes. Children become more capable and able to do things for themselves. Parents who continue to protect them from everything may actually smother their child’s independence. That can lead to a child who isn’t able to make decisions by herself
Overprotective parents send a message to their kids that they aren’t able to handle things by themselves. They also make it harder for kids to develop the perseverance that comes from getting knocked down and getting back up again.
To avoid a few of the common pitfalls of overprotective parents:
• Don’t ever do your child’s work for her. If she has forgotten about a big project, she will have to face the consequences.
• Don’t try to negotiate a better grade for your child. If you or your child are confused about a grade she receives, let your child talk to the teacher about it first.
• Don’t call the parent of a child your child is complaining about in school. Give your child a chance to work it out. If it is a serious problem, contact the school.
Try to trust your child. Give her chances to do things for herself. Will she make mistakes? Probably. But she’ll also develop responsibility to do things for herself
Source: David Walsh, No: Why K!ds—of Afl Aqes—Need to Hear it and Ways Parents Can Say It, ISBN: 0-7432-8920-X (Free Press, 1-800-223-2336, www.simonsays.com)
