Rise, and Do Not Be Afraid
February 17, 2008

Readings for the 2nd Sunday of Lent

Reading 1: Gen. 12:1–4a

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 33:4–5, 18–19, 20, 22

Reading 2: 2 Tim. 1:8b–10

Gospel: Mt. 17:1–9

Link to Readings

By Father Robert Pecotte

Lent is a time of growth in the Church (the word “Lent” is of Teutonic origin and means spring). It is a time to weed and water the garden of our soul with the Holy Faith and with self-denial. In order for Lent to lead to new growth in holiness, we need to detach ourselves from sin and be attached to God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Many Christians have become so attached to this world that they see no reason to discipline their earthly appetites. They cannot see that the desire for the world leads to the world, which is decadent, self-centered, materialistic, stagnant, and deadly to the soul. In short, it is a “Valley of Tears” because of sin and death. God calls us instead to be like Abram of old and “go forth from the land of our kinsfolk and our father’s house” (our earthly father, that is) to a land that He has shown us through His Son’s Transfiguration.

The Glory of God

In the Gospel, Jesus ascends Mount Tabor with Peter, James, and John. After the ascent, Jesus is transfigured before them: “His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” Then Moses and Elijah appear on either side of Jesus and begin to speak with Him. In the past, both Moses and Elijah ascended Mount Horeb and spoke with God. Now we see them speaking with Jesus, who shines with the very light of God Himself. This shouldn’t be overlooked; it is a clear sign of the divinity of Christ.

Peter, in his amazement, speaks a simple yet profound truth: “Lord, it is good that we are here.” Naturally, Peter wants to remain (hence the offer to provide tents for them), but Jesus has other plans, plans that follow the will of His Father who is about to speak.

Just as Moses entered the cloud on Mount Horeb, now a bright cloud appears on Mount Tabor. This cloud envelops all present. This is the Glory of God that reveals His immediate presence (know as the Shekinah Cloud), and from it God the Father speaks: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” Notice it is a bright cloud, and Jesus is shining brilliantly. Both the cloud and Jesus have the same light. Combined with the declaration from heaven, we have an unmistakable attestation to the Jesus’ divinity.

Walk with Jesus

The Apostles fall prostrate in fear before the majesty of God, but Jesus touches them (an affirmation of His humanity) and beckons them to rise without fear. When they do, Elijah, Moses, and the cloud are gone, and Jesus looks like Himself again. Then Jesus tells them to tell no one of the vision until “the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Jesus’ command for the Apostles to rise and His own declaration that He will be raised from the dead are indications of Jesus’ power over life and death. It will be He who calls the dead to life in the Glory of God. We will share in His glorified body (revealed in the Transfiguration) only after we have been raised from the dead by He who is the Resurrection itself. The fact that the heavenly witnesses do not remain but that Jesus does is our clear path of hope. We must walk with Jesus if we wish to walk in heaven in the glory of God and the company of the saints. His descent from the mountain is also a sign of His descent from heaven in order to assume the body that just shone brighter than the sun. In short, Jesus is willing to be one of us so that we can become like Him, radiant in His Father’s glory.

The Joyful Discipline of Lent

All of this is a sign for us to enter into the death of Lent so that we might enter into the life of God, manifest in His Church and perfectly revealed in heaven. We are called to leave this land and enter into the Promised Land of heaven. There is no mountain on earth that is our dwelling place, no amount of glory in this life can satisfy our longing for God, so we must be prepared to descend the Mountain of Consolation and enter into the valley of sorrows to share the Cross of Our Lord.

Moses fasts forty days on Sinai, and Elijah fasts forty days during his journey to Mount Horeb, and Jesus fasts forty days in the desert. If we would enter the cloud of God’s glory and hear Him, then we need to enter into the fast with Jesus. Lent is the immediate preparation for heaven, which is revealed on Easter Sunday through the Lord’s Resurrection.

Our fast and abstinence from earthly delights should increase our hunger for the Bread come down from heaven and the life-giving stream flowing from the Heart of Christ. It is in the Eucharist that we find our consolation and our hope, for there dwells the fullness of divinity who assumed our humanity in order to enter into Holy Communion with us, both now and forever.

We must embrace the joyful discipline of Lent with the intention of purifying ourselves for the Love of God. We need to be separated from all that separates us from Him, so that we can do what He commands us through the Church: Rise and do not be afraid!

Let us listen to Him.

Fr. Robert Pecotte is a priest of the Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota.

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