Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Lent

In the Transfiguration, Jesus climbed the mountain and gave His disciples Peter, James, and John a peek at the glorious life they will live with their beloved one day. This life will be free from all distractions and filled with love. It encourages us to seek silence and pray so we can encounter Our Lord in our hearts.

The First Reading recalls another mountain and a time when Abraham had to make a life or death decision. It showed where his priorities lay and who came first in his life.

In the Second Reading, Paul reminds us that the Lord spared Abraham's son but did not hesitate to sacrifice His own.

In the Gospel, Jesus takes His closest disciples up the mountain alone to show them a glimpse of His divinity and prepare them for the trials to come. Elijah and Moses appeared, showing that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and prophets. God the Father identified Jesus as His Beloved Son.

This was a culminating moment of the faith the disciples had already shown. Like Abraham with Isaac, neither the disciples nor Abraham completely understood what had happened after the "mountain."

Getting to a mountaintop is not easy. In today's Gospel, Our Lord takes his disciples up a high mountain, away from the noise and distractions of the world.

Prayer is one of the pillars of Lenten observance. The struggle for quality prayer is often a struggle for silence. Everyone acknowledges the utility of "quiet time," but for prayer, this is just the first step. Exterior silence must facilitate interior silence. We have to quiet down on the inside too.

So, find a quiet place this week, such as a chapel, monastery, convent, or shrine, and set aside some real quiet time so that Our Lord can reveal himself to you more profoundly.