Sunday, March 16th

Scripture

Gen 15: 5-12, 17-18
Ps 27: 1, 7-9, 13-14
Phil 3: 20 – 4: 1
Lk 9: 28-36

Reflection

“While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.” Lk. 9:29.

While all three synoptic accounts include the story of the transfiguration, only Luke’s gospel situates it while Jesus is at prayer. Peter, James, and John accompany Jesus, signaling that something major is about to happen. (This triad also witnesses Jesus’ power over death in the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5) and are asked to pray with him in Gethsemane.) The transfiguration comes directly after Jesus’ hard teaching that he must suffer and die, and those who wish to follow him must also “lose their lives to find it.” (Luke 9:24). But for now, the disciples (and we the readers) see Jesus in other-worldly glory: “While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.”

When Moses and Elijah—representing the law and the prophets—speak with Jesus about his “exodus,” we begin to understand that this mystical manifestation connects Jesus’ horrific ordeal to the most powerful events in Jewish history. Jesus’ passion is of a piece with God’s power to save and liberate. Death and oppression will not have the last word. Jesus will suffer and he will also be glorified. Both Jesus and his faithful friends receive unprecedented heavenly strength to suffer for God. God will be glorified, and that glory will be theirs as well. And it all happened because Jesus went off to pray.

Prayer

God, I pray for strength to witness to your values
in this challenging political climate.

Personal Challenge

Today I will pray about how to pour out my own life’s energies
on behalf of God’s values, especially, for the immigrant poor.

Sister Christine Schenk
Cleveland, OH