*Second Sunday of Lent (A)

*Second Sunday of Lent (A)

Matthew 17, 1 to 9

LISTEN ONLY TO JESUS

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.  Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 

But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”  When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” Jesus takes with him his closest disciples and leads them to a high mountain. It is not the mountain to which the tempter took him to offer him the power and glory of all the kingdoms of the world. It is the mountain on which his closest disciples are going to discover the path leading to the glory of the resurrection.

The transfigured face of Jesus shines like the sun and shows them where his true glory comes from. It does not come from the devil but from God his Father. It is not acquired by the diabolical ways of worldly power, but by the patient way of hidden service, suffering and crucifixion. Moses and Elijah appear next to Jesus. Their faces do not shine but  look subdued. They do not begin to instruct the disciples but converse with Jesus. The law and the prophets look to and are subordinate to him.

Peter however fails to sense the uniqueness of Jesus:  “If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He puts Jesus on the same plane as Moses and Elijah. Each one gets a shelter. He does not understand that you cannot equate Jesus with anyone.

God himself silences Peter. “He was still speaking” when between light and shadows they hear a mysterious voice: “This is my Son, whom I love”, the one with the face glorified by the resurrection. “Listen to him”, and nobody else. My Son is the only lawgiver, teacher and prophet. Do not confuse him with anyone else.

The disciples fell facedown on the ground “full of terror”’. They are afraid” to listen only to Jesus” and follow his humble way of serving the Kingdom up to the cross. It’s Jesus himself who frees them from their fears. He came to them as only he knew how to. He touched them as he used to touch the sick, and he said to them ”Get up, do not be afraid” to listen to me and to follow only me.

Even today we Christians fear to listen only to Jesus. We do not dare to place him at the centre of our lives and our communities. We do not let him be the only and decisive Word. It is the same Jesus who can free us from so many fears, cowardice, and ambiguities, if we will let him come to us, and touch us.