the transfiguration: "...listen to my Son"

Today's Gospel (Mk 9:2-10): Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high moun­tain. There his appearance was changed before their eyes. Even his clothes shone, becoming as white as no bleach of this world could make them. Elijah and Moses appeared to them; the two were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter spoke and said to Jesus, «Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah». For he did not know what to say; they were overcome with awe. But a cloud formed, covering them in a sha­dow, and from the cloud came this word, «This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him». And suddenly, as they looked around, they no longer saw anyone except Jesus with them.

As they came down the mountain, He ordered them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man be risen from the dead. So they kept this to themselves, although they discussed with one another what ‘to rise from the dead’ could mean.

Today we are contemplating the act when the three apostles Peter, James and John appear enraptured over the beauty of our Redeemer.

As for us, a message has been revealed: «But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who had abolished death, and had brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

It is what the three favorite Apostles are looking at, totally amazed, in this episode announcing the second Sunday of Lent: The Transfiguration.

It is good that in our Lenten exercise we receive that brilliant sun and shining light in Jesus' face and clothes. It is a marvelous icon of a redeemed mankind, which no longer appears in the ugliness of sin, but in all the beauty divinity turns our flesh into.

Peter's well-being is the expression of what we feel when we let the divine grace fill us. It is very clear in the Gospel reading today that our loving Father says: "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him".

The Holy Spirit also transfigures the Apostles' senses, and thanks to this they can witness the divine glory of the Man Jesus. Transfigured eyes to see what shines most; transfigured ears to hear the truest and most sublime voice: that of the Father who rejoices in his Son.

Altogether, too impressive for us but only if we let Our Lord touch us with his Grace so that our senses will be able to see and and to hear that which is being asked of us by God: to listen to His Son....Listen to the teachings of Jesus. Listen to Jesus words through the voice of His disciples, through His advocates and through His preachers.

We all have experiences with children. Many of you are parents. I was once a “parent” too, and my “children” were those inside the classroom waiting for me to teach them the lesson for the day.

Oftentimes, children do not listen when we tell them things. For instance, they may not listen when we tell them to brush their teeth before going to bed, or when we tell them to put things in order after using them, or when we tell them to look left and right before crossing the street.

Then one day, we suddenly see them washing the dishes, or diligently arranging their toys in their proper places after playing with them.

Then we say, “what a miracle! Why are you so well-behaved now?” Then they say, “My teacher told me to do this.”

All of us have experienced this. My experience with my nephews and nieces taught me that they would not listen to their uncle but they could listen to their teacher in school.

We tell them what to do and they do not listen but when the teacher tells them what to do, they listen.

As teacher for two decades, I had countless experiences with parents coming over the school just to see me and air their complaints against their sons who would prefer to do what I told them to do at home and refuse to listen to what they tell them to do.

Children hear their parents, and they hear their teachers. But they only follow their teachers, and not their parents. Well, I guess and I think children are entitled to that.

People just choose to listen to what they want to listen to. When they do not want to listen, they play deaf and dumb.We all know people like this, don’t we?

They suddenly grow deaf when we remind them of their debts. They suddenly grow deaf when they are criticized.

They say, “I am not sure I understand what you are saying.”But when they hear something nice about themselves, or there is a word that there will be a salary increase at the office, they hear it so clearly, even though they are a mile away.

Now, as we reflect on today's Gospel, it will be good to ask ourselves: Who are those we listen to? Who are those we do not listen to?

Some people will say, “Why are you listening to that person? He’s a womanizer.”

Others will say to themselves, “Why should I listen to that person, she is pro-contraception, or she is pro-abortion”. Or, “Why should I listen to him, he doesn’t even have a wife himself?”

Some of us have our prejudices. Some of us have our biases. Some of us, no matter how old we become, remain childish. We continue to select only those things we want to listen to.

Don’t you think in doing this, we also lose? I should say, “Everybody is on the same boat.” All of us do not know everything. But we can listen because we have a lot to learn from people for whom we think we cannot learn from.

Who are the people in our lives for whom we do not listen to but who can lift us from our unending worries?

Who are the people in our communities for whom we have incorrigible prejudices but who humbly serve us in the midst of our difficulties?

Who are the people in our society for whom we think we have nothing to learn from but who are faithful in their service in the light of Jesus' teachings?

As we spend the second week of Lent and as we continue our Lenten observance, let's contemplate on the words of today's Gospel and may God showers us with the grace of a listening heart to be able to hear His Words from the voices of these people among us. Blessings to us all!