We
enter into the second week of Lent with graces from prayer, fasting and
charity. Each day of Lent brings us closer to God and demands us to be
Christ-like. We are invited to convert ourselves so that we prepare for the
great Paschal Mystery of Christ’s Resurrection. Lent helps us to see the world
through God’s eyes. This requires total trust and dedication to accept any
amendments to our lives. This is to better our relationship with God and each
other. It is easier for us to relate to each other when we are Christ-like but
forces of the world will teach us otherwise.
Liturgy
of today draws us to a crucial lesson of ‘change.’ Scriptures of today focus on
change and let go off our old ways. First reading marks the significant stage
in Abrams faith journey. Although doubted, Abram was able to discover his self
worth by trusting in God and his commandments. He is asked to leave his
homeland and live in strange land. If he did so he was assured of family and
descendents as the stars in heaven. Although assurance seems great, Abram had
to be open to change, namely, a change of place, environment, culture, food
habits, people, and whatever that was familiar to him. There are a few significant
aspects to change. Change demands acceptance to call to change and once we
accept, we have to be physically and psychologically ready to a new reality and
then we experience results of that change. Change is hard and even harder if it
has challenges. Abram had mountainous struggles but he accepted the call to change
and stuck to it. The struggles and challenges did not hold him down in order to
change.
In
today’s Gospel, we heeded to a new reality in the life of Jesus and his
disciples. The transfiguration is a new reality. Jesus discloses himself as the
son of God through bodily changes. The disciples witness this new reality of
transfiguration. They had seen Jesus in their day-today lives but they saw Him
so much different at this event on the mountain. Jesus had to transform in
order to transfigure. His clothes became dazzlingly white and the surrounding
changed to disclose the true identity of Jesus as the Son of God. On the other
hand the disciples knew Jesus to some extent become more aware of His status in
par with God. At this event, the disciples change into a new person. They
wanted to stay on the mountain but Jesus had a mission for them. In this event
Jesus did not need to prove that he the son of God but as humans, disciples had
to witness something extraordinary about Jesus. God does change but God expects
us to change and in order for this to happen, God humbles himself to show us
himself through events and circumstances. God expects us to change from our old
ways to new.
We have
heard the slogan, ‘be the change that you want to see.’ That is the crux of the
message of today’s liturgy. It is easier
to point a finger at someone but when it demands of us, we are either reluctant
or we back-off. Culturally, we are slow to any change. It is important to note
that we don’t see same thing everyday rather we see things differently because it
is a new day. Change happens when we accept to change. In order to accept
change, we have to let go off our old ways. This is a hard thing to do because
we are comfortable with where we are. Change brings new challenges and also new
consequences. Generally, change brings newness and freshness to one’s life. Often
times we are discouraged because people don’t like change, hence, resistance
will be greater. Our world is the result of change in the way humans think and
invent. Every invention has brought change in the world. For instance, change in
medical field has brought better health care. Change in technology has made our
work easier.
In conclusion,
we pray for each other that we may be open to changes and may God help us to
let go off our old ways that are hindering our physical and spiritual growth.
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