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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2009 /  Jesus invites us to be witnesses of transfiguration

by Fr. Richard C. Macey special to The Michigan Catholic
Published February 27, 2009

First Reading: Genesis 22:1-2, 9a,10-13,15-18

Both God and his messenger ("angel") called upon Abraham in this passage. The "test" was not just to see whether or not Abraham would obey God. It is also a practice of his faith in order to strengthen it. God had already promised that Abraham would not die without an heir (Gn 1:4-5). Since Isaac was his only freeborn son and Sara was beyond the age of childbearing, Abraham would have to trust that God would overcome the human impossibility of fulfilling His promise.

By tradition, Mt. Moriah, the place of the offering of Isaac, is identified with the future site of the Temple in Jerusalem (see 2 Chronicles 3:1). This would be the location where God would receive the petitions of his people in sacrifice and prayer. His priests would also give direction to the people from this spot.

Abraham is called twice by the messenger from the Lord: "Abraham, Abraham!" Abraham is the first of several individuals who are called twice in the Bible (Moses, Jacob, Samuel, Saul [Paul], Simon [Peter], Martha). They are called for some important mission of the Lord toward His people.

Several interpretations have been offered to explain the meaning of this event. In could be a directive to end human sacrifice. An animal is substituted for the boy. Another explanation indicates that it may be foreshadowing the sacrifices that would take place in the Temple. A third explanation is more symbolic. The kingship would be sacrificed and the people dispersed into exile, yet God would not allow His people and His promise to disappear from history. They would be returned without any accomplishment on their own. The "sons of Abraham" were in great danger, and God rescued them by returning them to the land from their exile.

Have you ever had to give up anything that really mattered to you? One of my classmates was a little older than the rest of us. He joined our class in the seminary later in our formation, since he already had a college degree. He was very good in his business, and his boss was going to give him a big promotion. But he felt a deep calling to enter the priesthood. He was willing to give up all that the world would measure as success to go back to school again. He has never regretted his decision, because he heard the call of the Lord. Like Abraham, he answered, "Here I am!" His ministry has been a great asset to the parishes where he served, and the people to whom he ministered fondly remember him, even years later. By giving up something which we have claimed as our own, we lose nothing. We are claimed by another, whose reward in life is far more than we could imagine or achieve by ourselves.

Second Reading: Romans 8:31b-34

Paul is not questioning the people about their opinion. He is emphasizing an obvious answer to his rhetorical questions. The verb, "hand over," has a dual meaning. It describes the betrayal of Jesus. It also describes the transmission of tradition. Paul appears to be using language from a primitive catechesis in the Church.

When Paul proclaims, "He who did not spare His only Son ....," he may be recalling the offering of Isaac. This point is made by many interpreters. That story about Isaac had taken on a unique meaning in Judaism and the post-biblical Jewish literature of that day. It was called the Aqedah, a Hebrew word which means "the binding." Paul gives a new twist of meaning, since the offering of Isaac was never seen to have an atoning value for all the people, as does the offering of Jesus Christ. Paul encourages the people to have trust that God will continue to show mercy to His people.

Paul concludes this passage by emphasizing the exaltation of Christ at the right hand of the Father, indicating that Jesus still intercedes on behalf of God's chosen ones.

Gospel: Mark 1:12-15

The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent is the narrative of the Transfiguration of Jesus on a mountain. The evangelist describes it as a "high mountain." This would suggest that it was different from the mountain of the transfiguration, which has been the traditionally acknowledged site in Galilee. That one is a hill. A more likely place is Mt. Hermon. It was a very high mountain just inside the Syrian border and one of the sources of fresh water for the Jordan River. Mt. Hermon was also the Canaanite Mt. Olympus. It was considered to be the dwelling place of the gods in early mythology. There is an ancient tradition that the Transfiguration of Jesus took place 40 days before the Crucifixion. The introductory statement is left out of the reading, which states that it occurred "after six days." It reflected the Sabbath, the day of rest. It also recalls the call of Moses to go up into the cloud on Mt. Sinai in Exodus 24:16 to meet "the glory of the Lord."

Moses and Elijah are mentioned in the closing verses of our Old Testament (Greek version), Malachi 3:22-24. It is the only place where they are mentioned together. They represent the Law and the Prophets. Also, there was a tradition, reflected in the Letter of Jude 9 about the special taking up of the body of Moses by the Michael the Archangel. Elijah also had a miraculous ascension in a fiery chariot into a whirlwind in 2 Kings 2:11 to end his prophetic career. This incident occurs between the first and second announcement of the Passion and Death of Jesus in Mark 8:31 and 9:31. These nuances come together in the narrative. Jesus will be taken up bodily into heaven after His death. He also has an important role in the final judgment, just like the role which was given to these two figures as reflected in post-biblical Judaism.

The narrative also includes a divine acclamation of the identity of Jesus. At the Baptism of Jesus in Mark 1:11, the voice from heaven addressed Jesus in the second person: "You are my beloved Son. …" Here, it is proclaimed in the third person with the addition to "listen to Him": "This is my beloved Son. …" Since everything returns to its original state after this statement, it probably means that the divine voice is the climax of the narrative.

As Jesus and the three disciples "were coming down from the mountain," a meeting place of human and divine, the meaning of the "messianic secret" in the Gospel of Mark is explained. The identity of Jesus will be fully revealed to them "when the Son of Man had risen from the dead." As we continue our lenten journey, we are challenged to recognize the true identity of Jesus in the mystery of His Body and Blood in the Church.

Fr. Richard C. Macey is pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven.