Second Sunday of Lent (A)BLESSINGS BRINGS TRANSFORMATION Gen 12:1-4
2 Timo 1:8-10
Mt 17:1-9
Good morning dear Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus! How are you all?
Could you tell me the difference between the transformation and transfiguration?
Transformation implies a remaking of the nature of a person or object.
For example just imagine in the field of communication, olden days people used to communicate through writing letters, latter we had telecom, after that we had land line phones, cell phones, today we have smart phones and in the future we do not know. We see the transformation and progress taking place slowly in our mode of communication. And today we are the witnessing people for the world of transformation. Thus, we see changes taking place every day of our lives. What we see today is completely different than yesterday, and surely it will not be the same tomorrow.
From conception to till our death we see changes in our life, Changes in our personality, in our behaviour, in our food habits, our dressing sense, our daily works, also changes in our governments, changes in the money, changes in our society, changes in our church activities etc thus we see changes everywhere in our life. Therefore nothing is permanent expect the change. Even the Lenten season also calls us for a change. It demands us to change from our sinful life to a life of holiness.
Dear friends, is it very necessary to have transformation in our lives? Or do we need changes in our lives?
Our human life moves only with changes. Whether you like it or not our lives undergoes changes. Just imagine; if the child is born to you today. And this child remains as a child till five to ten years even till death. Will people like or love this child? No. People expect that the child must walk, speak, eat etc. if not we consider this child is sickly or abnormal. Change is part of our life and we all need to be open to accept changes in our lives. Thus, changes give motivation to live our earthily life meaningfully. Even Jesus too had changes in his life. Not only changes or the transformations but also he had transfiguration in his life. This is what we read today’s gospel.
What is the meaning of transfiguration?
Transfiguration implies a revelation of the true nature. That means the true nature of the person or things will be revealed in the process of transfiguration. People have made attempt to bring transfiguration in human beings but it resulted in failure. In the myths it is possible but not in real life it is very dangerous to bring transfiguration.
What is the significance of Jesus’s Transfiguration?
Confession of Peter
The narration of the transfiguration of Jesus is written after the confession of St. Peter. Jesus was asking the disciples the very important question. Who do you say that I am? It is a personal question to each disciple. But only Peter responded to Jesus saying “you are Christ the son of the living God?” Jesus immediately praises Peter saying “1. Blessed are you son of Jona, 2. My Father in heaven has revealed to you” thus Peter and his disciples were very happy. In addition, for the right answer of St. Peter, he receives a reward that is the 1. Peter will have the Keys of the kingdom of heaven, 2. The authority to forgive sins of the people” because according to the understanding of the Old Testament only God has the authority to forgive the sins of the people now Jesus gives this authority to Peter. Thus Peter was over joyed.
Confusion of Peter
In the following text Jesus speaks about his death to the disciples. But Peter calls Jesus privately and says that “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you”. But Jesus said to Peter “Get behind me Satan! You are hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God but of men”. Now the disciples were in a state of confusion. Because in the first place Jesus said about Peter that ‘you are blessed’ and in the second place ‘Peter is called as Satan’. Now the disciples are not able to understand who Jesus is?
The confession and the confusion brings transformation through transfiguration
In this confused situation Jesus takes three of his disciples to a high mountain and before them He was transfigured. Transfiguration means revealing of true nature. Here Jesus reveals the true nature of His Divinity. Hence, in the transfiguration the disciples see the glorious state of Jesus. Secondly the great men of the Old Testament like Moses and Elijah were talking to Jesus. Thirdly they heard the voice saying ‘this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased’. Thus the disciples understood the true nature of Jesus and their faith is also strengthened. Thus, Peter proclaims to Jesus saying, ‘Lord it is well that we are here. If you wish I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and for Elijah’. And this experience brought transformation in the life of disciples. Hence the disciples were ready to give up their lives for the sake of Christ. Thus, through the transfiguration of Jesus the lives of the disciples are transformed. We have not seen transfiguration then how do we see transformation our lives today.
How the transformation takes place in our lives?
Transfiguration was very much helpful and very necessity for the life of disciples. So also through the transfiguration the lives of the disciples were totally transformed. Today during this Lenten season Jesus also expects transformation from our sinful lives in order to become a better Christians. So dear friends do you need transformation with the help of Jesus? Transformation takes place in so many ways.
01. Transformation takes place with the Blessing of God:-
Whenever God blessed the people their lives are totally transformed.
(The Real Story of a person)
There was a couple lived in a village. They lived a beautiful life. But slowly the problems started in their family because after two years of marriage they did not have child. The relatives, friends and people nearby houses began to condemn the wife saying she is incapable of bearing children. So they approached different doctors and begin to take lots of medicines. But all have gone vain. At the same time the couple began to visit different churches and prayed earnestly for a child. Meanwhile, the family members began to arrange second marriage for the husband. This brought lots of confusion and disturbance in both families. The couple began to pray more earnestly and did so many penance and sacrifices. She also promised to God saying, if I get a child surely, I will offer for the service of God. The wife totally trusted God and prayed daily.
God heard their prayers, for her surprise she was conceived. God blessed that child from womb itself. The family members were so happy. And she bore a male child and this doubled their joy. Since it was first male child according to the custom of the family they went to the astrologer to write (Jathagam ) horoscope for this child. The astrologer after analyzing he said to the parents that this child is not good to the family. If this child remains in this family there will be lots of problems and difficulties you have to face it. This was shocking news for the family members. Because the family members thought that this child was a gift of God. And they became very sad and in dilemma to decide the future life of the child.
Now the relatives advised the parents that you throw the child in the orphanage or in any ashram. Meanwhile one of the grandparents became very sick and some animals have died in their family. This frightened the situation. So they are forced to send the child outside of the house. The mother called her own parents and explained to them the situation. The mother’s parents were very pious and God fearing people. And they said this child is a gift of God we must keep this child in our family. Immediately the parents and the family members told to the grand parents that, if it is the case you take this child with you and we do not want this child. Trusting the providence of God the grandparents took this child as their own. The grandparents became real parents for this child. They grew the child with Christian faith. They thought the child to go to church regularly. They used to teach moral values with stories. They loved this child very much.
When the child left the house the family progressed in so many ways. The sickly grandparents received a good health, the mother conceived and bore children one after another, financially they have become rich, they build a house etc. Thus the family members were very happy with the present situation and not bothered about the first child. The days rolled by. When the child was ten years old the grandmother became sick and died, very soon the grandfather also became very sickly. Again the child is abandoned left with no parents. Now the parents have decided to send this child to a hostel to continue his studies because they are afraid of keeping this child into their house. But later due to some reason the parents have brought the child to their own family. And they began to grow this child along with other children.
When the child came to this family again the family began to undergo lots of problems and difficulties. The elders begin to die one by one every year. Financially they became very poor etc. Thus, the parents and relatives began say ‘this child is inauspicious child’. the parents and relatives used to scold this child in front of all other children saying ‘you are good for nothing’, ‘you are useless’ etc. the child used to cry so much but nobody was there to console and he always felt the loneliness because their own parents begin to condemn him for no reason. But the child continued to trust in God. He used to pray daily. Some way or the other the child had completed his schooling. The parents were in confusion to decide his future. So they thought that since there is no use with this child in the family so they have decided to send this child to seminary as they have promised to the Lord once upon a time.
As we read in the scripture Mathew 21:42 “the very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes”. Though the people have rejected and considered this child is of no use yet the hand of the Lord was with the child. Because, God has chosen this child from the mother’s womb for His purposes. During his seminary life he progressed very well. He was appreciated and received honorary title. Thus, the child felt the presence of God in his life. As we read in 1Cor 1:27-29 “for God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong”. Thus the child became a channel of God’s blessing to many people. For the surprise of the parents he became a very good priest with the motto of “To be a Blessing to all”. Today the parents, relatives and friends are proud of this child. Once they have rejected the child but today they are proud of the child. With the blessing of God this child has transformed the lives of many people. Yes, dear friends if God blesses anybody surely he or she will be great. Today in the first reading too we find the same incident.
Genesis12:1-3 God called Abram and said “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show to you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing”. Since God has blessed Abram and Abram too obeyed the call of God today he is raised to a height. Before the blessing of God Abram was a leader of one family but after the blessing he became a leader of a whole nation. Before the blessing he was a father for one family after the blessing he became an ancestor father for whole nation especially both Old Testament and New Testament people. Before the blessing he was an ordinary man like you and me but after the blessing he became Father of Faith to all the generations of past, present and future. So dear friends, when you have the blessing of God, your life is transformed also you bring transformation in the lives of the people too. So, God’s blessing transforms the lives of the people.
02. Hard Work with Steadfast Will brings Transformation:-
Who is called as son of Abraham in the New Testament? Also I give you another clue the rich man became very poor man who is he?
Dear friends just imagine that I am a very poor man and I had no possession on this earth. But I have a desire to become a rich. The easiest way to become rich is to steal from others. So one day I have stolen ten thousand rupees from a rich family. Now how much of money I have? 10 000Rs. After stealing that money I just enter into the church. While I was sitting in the church I felt that I have committed a sin. So I went just before the Blessed Sacrament and I prayed to the Lord saying Lord I have committed a sin and I need your forgiveness. In return God says to me well done my son I too love you. You are a good person. You will be my child only if you do penance.
After reflecting for a while, I promise to the Lord firstly, saying Lord! I will give half of my possession to the poor. Now what is my possession? My possession is 10 000 rupees. So from 10 000, I give half to the poor that is 5000Rs. Now how much will I have? Only 5000. Secondly I promise to the lord saying Lord! If I have taken anything from others I will pay back it in fourfold way. I have stolen 10 000, fourfold means 40 000 I have to give back to that family. But I have only 5000 in my hand. So in order to become sons of God I need to pay back the 40 000 in a sincere way. Will it possible for me to give back? I am a poor man now with the promise I became very poor man. If I fulfill my promise surely I will be called son of Abraham. Have you found this person in the Gospel? He is called Zacchaeus, the short man.
Yes dear friends Zacchaeus lived a sinful life. But he had a desire to see Jesus. This desire led him to climb the sycamore tree to see Jesus. Though there were great crowd and the tree also with lots of leaves yet Jesus was able to recognize his lost sheep. Jesus called Zacchaeus “make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today”. When Jesus showed his love to him he joyfully received Jesus into his house. Immediately Zacchaeus promised to Jesus “behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold”. Dear friends here there is no future tense, everything written in present tense. That means he has made strong resolution to fulfill his promise. By fulfilling his promise surely he might have become very poor man. Thus Jesus in return said to him “Today the salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham”. So dear friends when you make conscious promise and make hard effort to fulfill that promise God blesses not only your life but your whole family receives the blessings of God.
So, dear friends the blessings of God always make our life beautiful. When God blesses us, our lives are transformed. The season of lent demands some kind of transformation from our sinful lives. Are we ready to take up challenges like Zacchaeus and Abraham to bring changes in our lives? Jesus who is transfigured in the gospel today, may give you grace to transform your lives and the lives of others. Amen!
BLESSINGS BRINGS TRANSFORMATION
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