Life and Immortality
Second Sunday of Lent - A
Genesis 12:1-4a; 2 Timothy 1:8b-10; Matthew 17:1-9
Saint Paul announces that through the Gospel, Jesus brought life and immortality to light (2 Tim. 1:10). This life and immortality are shown to us in today's Gospel - Jesus' face shines like the sun, and his garments become white as light (Matt. 17:2). We have here a glimpse into another reality and a vision of what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9).
The gospel of life and immortality had to some extent been preached to Abraham. He lived in a pagan world and had no hope of a descendant. But then, the Living and True God revealed himself to him and made these promises: "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great" (Gen. 12:2). By obeying God's call, Abraham became the cause of the blessing for all peoples of the earth (Gen. 12:3). Through Jesus Christ, "the son of Abraham" (Matt. 1:1), God's blessing comes to all who believe in Christ (Gal. 3:8-9).
The light that envelops Jesus reveals his divinity. "God is light, and there is no darkness in him" (1 John 1:5). The presence of Moses and Elijah announces that Jesus is fulfilling the law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17) and that he is Lord of the dead and the living (Rom. 14 9) - Moses, who died, symbolizes those who died in faith and Elijah, who was taken up to heaven, those who are alive in Christ. Their presence also reveals to us the mystery of the communion of saints. We are indeed surrounded "by so great a cloud of witnesses" (Heb. 12:1).
"Lord, it is good that we are here" (Matt. 17:4). Peter thought that the Kingdom of the Son of Man had finally arrived (Matt. 16:28) and so no longer wanted to descend from that mountain. He wanted to make "eternal tents" (Lk 16:9), in which the righteous dwell in God's Kingdom. But it was not yet the time. Suddenly a voice from heaven is heard: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, listen to him!" (Matt. 17:5; 3:17). Shortly after the first prediction of Jesus' Passion and Resurrection, there was a conflict between Jesus and Peter over the way of the cross (Matt. 16:22-23). Heavenly Father calls them to obey Christ. This command reminds us of the words of the Mother of God: "do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5). Whether Jesus tells us to fill the empty jars with water or to follow Him on the way of the cross, we should obey Him and do what He tells us.
Some of the icons of Christ's transfiguration and resurrection seem to be strikingly similar. And yet there is one noticeable difference. The body of the risen Lord carries the marks of the cross, which the body of the transfigured Christ does not have yet. Between the mountain of Transfiguration and the mountain of the Resurrection (Matt. 28:16), there is the hill of Golgotha (Matt. 27:33). For life and immortality to be fully revealed death needs to be abolished first.
Jesus charged His disciples not to tell about this vision, "until the Son of Man be raised from the dead" (Matt. 17: 9). Since we are already told about this vision, it can mean only one thing: the Son of Man has risen from the dead! Since that moment the Gospel has spread around the world like fire and its core message is the proclamation of Christ's death and resurrection. Our Savior Jesus Christ "abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Tim. 1:10).