Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent, Year A

A Taste Of Heaven: Reflecting On The Transfiguration of Jesus

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent, Year A

St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Brooklyn Center, MN

Sunday, March 1, 2026

The narrative of the Transfiguration of Jesus is familiar to many of us, yet for some, the meaning of the fourth luminous mystery remains unclear. Before we dive into the meaning of this mysterious and wonderful story, let us recap the narrative. In Matthew 17:1-9, we hear that on his way to Jerusalem, where he will be crucified, Jesus takes his closest disciples, Peter, James, and John, to Mount Tabor. There, he was transfigured. Matthew says, “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” Then he was joined by two great figures who had long passed, Moses and Elijah. Having experienced this extraordinary sight, Peter blurted out the first thing that came to mind: “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” As Peter was still speaking, a voice came from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Upon hearing that voice, the disciples fell to the ground, seized by fear. After that, Jesus reached out and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” When they raised their eyes, they realized they were alone with Jesus again. Moses and Elijah had gone. 

I tell you, the scene of the Transfiguration has captivated theologians, poets, and artists for centuries. But why is the Transfiguration such a big deal? What does this event mean? Why does the Church ask us, especially during Lent, to consider it? What are Moses and Elijah doing there? The first interpretive key to understanding the Transfiguration is that it offers us a glimpse, a quick look, and a peep of the joy that awaits us. In his magnificent work, the Summa Theologiae, St. Thomas Aquinas writes, “It was fitting that Christ be manifested in all his glory because those who are walking on arduous paths need from time to time a clear sense of their goal.” We all know that life is hard. Life is difficult. Life doesn’t get easier. It comes with its trials, dangers, difficulties, failures, depression, fear, death, sickness, and loss of relatives and friends. As we make our way through this difficult life, we need to know our goal. Christians should not live like driftwood, not knowing where they are going, what life means, or their purpose. What is the goal of this journey? The beatific vision, the life of heaven, the transfigured state God has designed for us. Life on earth is a journey, and as we embark on it, it is critically important that we get a glimpse of the end from time to time. 

The disciples have been walking this difficult path with the Lord. And Jesus has even made the journey more difficult, more frightening, and more dangerous. He has been undoing certain norms and traditions, getting on the nerves of the Pharisees, the chief priests, and the elders of the people. He has been predicting his arrest, his suffering, and his crucifixion on the cross. To say that the one they had come to believe in as the long-expected Messiah is going to be humiliated and killed by his enemies would disqualify anyone from being the true Messiah. In the midst of all this, what is going to give them the courage to go on? It is the glimpse of glory they witnessed on Mount Tabor. The Transfiguration offers his first disciples, and disciples up and down the centuries, the glory that finally awaits us in the end. 

Listen up, everybody! We are not meant for this world. We are meant for a transfigured existence beyond it. The goal of the spiritual life is to become a saint. Never forget this. The reason for attending Mass, using the sacraments, praying, practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, striving to be upright and holy, loving your neighbor, and forgiving those who offend you is ultimately to become a saint. Never allow anything in this world to derail or distract you from that goal. If you aspire to be rich but can’t attain it, do not throw away your faith. Whatever goods of the world you long for and dream of, if you cannot achieve them, do not slip into hopelessness. We are not meant for this world but for a transfigured existence in heaven. Is this a childish fantasy? Not at all! It is a transcendent goal held out to all of us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the Transfiguration as the sacrament of our Resurrection: “The Transfiguration gives us a foretaste of Christ’s glorious coming, when he ‘will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body’ [Phil 3:21]” (CCC 556). The Transfiguration gives us the confidence that although our frail bodies cause us so much hardship and grief, one day we will be transfigured just like Christ’s.

In conclusion, why were there five witnesses to the Transfiguration: Moses, Elijah, Peter, James, and John? The great St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologiae, said that because Christ transcends space and time, is for all time, for all space, and for all nations, it is fitting that Moses and Elijah, who represent the old and past history that Jesus recapitulates and saves, be present at the Transfiguration. As for Peter, James, and John, they stand for the present and the future because, through their preaching, Christ's message would go out to all ages. So, on the mountain, the past, present, and future gathered to witness the manifestation of Christ’s glory. To be more specific, Moses is the lawgiver. Through him came the old Law, the Ten Commandments, the Torah. Who is the new Moses? Jesus Christ. Because Christ is the giver of the New Law, the definitive Law, the new covenant in his Blood, as he said the night before he died. What about Elijah? For the biblical Jews, Elijah was the greatest of prophets. He sums up the life and ministry of the prophets, which is to proclaim God’s truth and to speak God’s Word. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, etc., are speakers of the divine word. Who is Jesus? He is not just the speaker of the Divine Word; he is the Divine Word. So, he is the new and last Elijah, the greatest prophet who transcends all the prophets. He is God’s own Word made flesh. As for Peter, James, and John, why are they there to witness the Transfiguration? Aquinas said that Peter is there because he loved the Lord most. Three times Jesus asked him, “Peter, do you love me?” And three times he declared his love for the Lord. Why is John there? Because he is the one that Christ loved the most. He is the beloved disciple. Why is James there? Because he is the first Apostle to die a martyr’s death out of love for Christ. How do we have access to the glory of Jesus Christ? It is through our love for him. Christianity is about falling in love with Jesus. Do you want access to divine glory? Love the Lord! He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 

God bless you!