Second Sunday of Lent, Year C

It often happens that we feel very comfortable somewhere and don’t want to leave. Then we will probably remember today’s gospel and say to ourselves: Lord, we are good here! We would like this precious moment to never end. We can experience such a feeling, for example, on vacation, with a loved one, or after achieving some success. The desire to stay with Jesus is also heard from the mouth of the apostles. How did their joyful exclamation come about? Jesus had prophesied to them long ago that he must go to Jerusalem and lay down his life there.
Since they could not understand it under any circumstances, he wanted to show them that his death was inevitable. He took the three most trusted disciples to one of the Galilean mountains, probably Mount Tabor: Peter, James and John. Peter, who was to be the head of the Church, James, who was to be the first to lay down his life for Jesus, and John, who was to remain as the last living witness of all these events, and of course, all of them were to witness Jesus’ pre-mortem agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus began to pray, surely asking the Father to prove that His journey to Jerusalem and to the cross was necessary. The Father heard the Son’s prayer and proved it outwardly: first Jesus’ face, but also his garment, shone with a strong light, then the two greatest personalities of the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah, appeared and talked with Jesus, and finally a cloud covered them and God’s voice was heard.
The cloud in Scripture symbolizes God’s presence. It suggests that mortal man can never see the great and infinite God. The cloud at the transfiguration of Jesus is proof that the heavenly Father is also present at that moment. The apostles even heard His words: This is my chosen Son; listen to him! At that moment, everything was clear to the apostles. They realized that Jesus is greater than Moses and Elijah, that he is the greatest because he is the Son of God. Then they longed for the moment to never end, after which Peter said Teacher, we are well here.
Let us make three booths: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. The situation is the same today. No one except Jesus Christ has so many monuments and paintings in the world. Let’s count the crosses in the cemeteries, on the streets, in the churches, in the houses… Let’s count the paintings and sculptures… How many people today publicly confess Jesus, how many love Him? Who today remembers, for example, Alexander the Great or Emperor Augustus? Who loves and adores them today? We have some sparse information about them – and that’s it! But can we count the number of people who have loved Christ, lived and died for faith in Him for two thousand years? Can we count the number of people who have given their whole lives to Him?
A few years ago, young people of Jesus Christ called him a superstar. They are excited to enter into a friendly relationship with him, with the greatest personality in the history of mankind. But we all have this opportunity every day during our visit to the temple. Let’s cherish the opportunity where Peter and I can always exclaim, “Teacher, we are fine here in your house! We are happy to meet you and receive you into our hearts, because only with you are we strong and safe. You are our superstar! Let’s conclude our reflection with the beautiful confession of St. Ambrose, for whom Jesus is a true superstar:
When I long to be healed of my sicknesses – you are a physician!
When I’m consumed by an unbearable fever – you’re a fresh spring!
When I feel remorse – You are forgiveness!
When I call for help in trouble – you are a power!
When I fear death – you are life!
When I long for the heavenly homeland – you are the way!
When clouds and darkness surround me – you are light!
When I thirst for certainty – you are the truth!
When I’m hungry for real food – you are the bread of life!
Where you are, Jesus, there is everything!
Where you are, Christ, there is peace!