HOMILIES

Dear Audience,
For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!

Second Sunday of Lent (Year A)

Mar 1, 2026

513

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First Reading

A reading from the Book of Genesis (12:1-4a)

The Lord said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the Earth shall find blessing in you." Abram went as the Lord directed him.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms of David (33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22)

(R) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Upright is the word of the Lord, and all His works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lord the Earth is full. (R)

See, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear Him, upon those who hope for His kindness, to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R)

Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you. (R)

Second Reading

A reading from the Second Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy (1:8b-10)

Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to His own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Gospel

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (17:1-9)

Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, covering with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and do not be afraid." And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, "Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

(P) The Gospel of the Lord.
(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

Frederick Meyer was a prominent British pastor, evangelist, and author of several influential religious books in the early 20th century. Once a miserable looking woman recognized Meyer during a train journey and started to share her life story with him. For years, she had cared for her crippled daughter who brought great joy to her life. Each morning after breakfast, she made lunch for her daughter and then left for work, believing that she would find her daughter safe and sound when she returned in the evening.

But one day on her return from work, the mother found her daughter dead. After her daughter passed away, home was not "home" anymore. She felt so lonely and miserable. After hearing the sad story, Meyer was moved with compassion, comforted her, and told her with tenderness, "When you get back home, be ready to greet Jesus. As you put the key in the door to open, say aloud, "Jesus, I know You are here!" Then as you light the fire for cooking, tell Him what happened during the day; if anybody has been kind, tell him; if anybody has been unkind, tell Him, just as you would have told your daughter. At night stretch out your hand in the darkness and say, "Jesus, I know You are here!"

Some months later, Meyer was back in that neighbourhood, and met the woman again, but he did not recognize her. Because her face radiated joy instead of misery. "I did as you told," she said to Meyer, and it has made all the difference in my life, and now I know and feel God's love."

Jesus often withdrew to quiet, solitary places and mountains to pray, rest, and connect with God the Father. He also prayed in the presence of His disciples and crowds. While many such occasions were special, His prayer on a mountain called Mount Tabor in the presence of three of His disciples near the end of His ministry was uniquely special. Jesus was transfigured. While the Temptation of Jesus marked His victorious inauguration of His mission on earth and His triumph over Satan or the Devil, His Transfiguration served as a divine confirmation of His identity as the Son of God and His impending suffering and death.

Jesus' Transfiguration occurred a few days after He first predicted His own suffering, death, and resurrection, and His teaching about the cost of following Him or being His disciple, Matthew (16:21-28). Therefore, the event is considered as a prefiguration or foretaste of Jesus' Resurrection and future glory. The event occurred in the presence of just three of Jesus' disciples: Peter, James, and John. From Matthew's gospel we understand that these three disciples were among the first whom Jesus had called to follow Him. They were recognized as the "inner circle" of Jesus who were chosen to witness exclusive moments, including the Transfiguration, the raising of Jairus' daughter, and the agony in Gethsemane just before His arrest. While describing the transfiguration, Matthew (17:1-9), points out three important things in today's gospel.

As Jesus prayed, His outward appearance changed so much that His face shone like the sun and His clothes became white as light. But the question is: How much shining on one's face can be described "shining like the sun" and how white is something that is "white as light?" When we say that someone's face is glowing, we mean that the person looks exceptionally healthy and happy. But in the Bible - shining like the sun is a metaphor used for those who are transformed in powerful ways when they encounter God face-to-face.

In the Old Testament we read of Moses coming down from Mount Sinai carrying the two tablets with God's Word on them and his face was shining from speaking with the Lord, but he did not know it. So too, in the Transfiguration, Jesus's face shone like the sun. Here, the disciples witnessed a small glimpse of Jesus' eternal glory and radiance as the Son of God and the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. They were stunned, in awe, amazed and filled with the greatest joy. Jesus' face shone like the sun and His clothing was so white, so pure, so radiant that they shone as the brightest and most pure light imaginable.
As the disciples looked on, Moses and Elijah suddenly appeared and spoke with Jesus. The appearance of Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration signified the culmination of Israel's history representing the entire Old Testament scriptures - the Law (Moses) and Prophets (Elijah), which point to Jesus as the promised Messiah.
A voice from the cloud, representing God, affirmed Jesus as His beloved Son. This was reminiscent of the voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism, Matthew (3:17). The declaration, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him", acts as a powerful heavenly endorsement of Jesus, as He began His earthly ministry at His baptism and as He resolved to journey toward suffering and death at His Transfiguration. These events signified God's approval, confirmed Jesus' divine identity, separating Him from prophets like Moses and Elijah (who were also present), and called for total obedience, trust, and action based upon His teachings.

According to Thomas Aquinas, the Transfiguration occurred to strengthen the apostles' faith, prepare them for Jesus' impending suffering and death, give them a foretaste of the glory of the resurrection and to help them endure future persecutions. We read and reflect upon Jesus' resurrection during Lent to strengthen our faith for the journey toward Easter, revealing His divine glory to encourage us through the struggles of the cross. It reminds us that just as Jesus was transformed, we too are called to be transformed, moving from darkness into His light.

Lent is a time to pause, reflect, and examine our conscience and to see our sins more clearly as God sees them, rather than through a lens of condemnation, self-righteousness, or judgementalism. It is a time, set aside each year, to pause from the confusion of life and to re-examine the road we are on. Focusing on our sins can be hard. It can be depressing and it can often lead to overwhelming guilt, shame, depression, hopelessness, and even despair. But we must overcome the temptation to despair. We can overcome sin not by ignoring it, but rather, by turning our eyes to the power and glory of God. If we face sin without hope in God's mercy, we will fall into despair and the feeling of being doomed. But if we face sin with a remembrance of Who Jesus is and what He has done for us, then facing our sin will lead us not into despair but into victory and glory.

Just as God the Father affirmed Jesus as His "beloved Son" at His baptism, at our own Baptism, God declared us His beloved children; and at the transformation of our lives, God continues to affirm our identity as His beloved children again, to assure us of His unconditional love, acceptance, and delight in us, and to empower us to live in His grace, peace, and purpose, especially in moments of doubt, struggle, or trial. God our Father desires to transform us into the whitest light, lifting the burden of all sins through Jesus Christ and bestowing upon us the great dignity of being His true children. Therefore, the Transfiguration is not merely a historical event in Jesus' life but a profound, personal goal for us believers. One day, we hope to share in Christ's glory in heaven.

Let us therefore, during this Lent, reflect upon our sin. And in doing so, let us also reflect upon the transfigured and glorious nature of our divine Lord. He came to bestow this gift of holiness on each one of us. This is our calling. This is our dignity. This is what we must become, and the only way to do so is to allow God to cleanse us of every sin in our lives and to draw us into His glorious life of grace. Let us also pray that the transfigured Lord may help us to face our sin with courage and confidence in Him and in His power to not only forgive us but also transform our lives. May we die to sin more deeply than ever before so as to share more fully in the glory of His divine life. We shall proclaim, "Jesus, I know You are here and I trust in You."

(P) Amen.

God Bless You!

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