Falling in Love With Christ
Gospel Commentary for 2nd Sunday of Lent

By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap

ROME, FEB. 15, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Why are faith and religious practice in decline and why do they not seem to constitute, at least not for most people, the point of reference in life?

Why the boredom, the weariness, the struggle for believers in performing their duties? Why do young people not feel attracted to the faith? In sum, why this dullness and this lack of joy among the believers in Christ? The event of Christ's transfiguration helps us to answer these questions.

What did the transfiguration mean for the three disciples who were present? Up until now they knew Jesus only in his external appearance: He was not a man different from others; they knew where he came from, his habits, the timber of his voice. Now they know another Jesus, the true Jesus, the one who cannot be seen with the eyes of ordinary life, in the normal light of the sun; what they now know of him is the fruit of a sudden revelation, of a change, of a gift.

Because things change for us too, as they changed for the three disciples on Tabor; something needs to happen in our lives similar to what happens when a young man and woman fall in love. In falling in love with someone, the beloved, who before was one of many, or perhaps unknown, suddenly becomes the only one, the sole person in the world who interests us. Everything else is left behind and becomes a kind of neutral background. One is not able to think of anything else. A very real transfiguration takes place. The person loved comes to be seen as a luminous aura. Everything about her is beautiful, even the defects. One feels unworthy of her. True love generates humility.

Something concrete also changes in one's own habits. I have known young people whose parents could not get them out of bed in the morning to go to school; or they neglected their studies and did no graduate. Then, once they fall in love with someone and enter a serious relationship, they jump out of bed in the morning, they are impatient to finish school, if they have a job, they hold onto it. What has happened? Nothing, it is just that what they were forced to do before they now do because of an attraction. And attraction allows one to do things that force cannot make one do; it puts wings on one's feet. "Everyone," the poet Ovid said, "is attracted by the object of his pleasure."

Something of the kind must happen once in our lives for us to be true, convinced Christians, and overjoyed to be so. Some say, "But the young man or young woman is seen and touched!"

I answer: We see and touch Jesus too, but with different eyes and different hands -- those of the heart, of faith. He is risen and is alive. He is a concrete being, not an abstraction, for those who experience and know him.

Indeed, with Jesus things go even better. In human love we deceive ourselves, we attribute gifts to the beloved that she does not have and with time we are often forced to change our mind about her. In the case of Jesus, the more one knows him and is together with him, the more one discovers new reasons to be in love with him and is confirmed in one's choice.

This does not mean that with Christ too we must wait for the classic "lightning bolt" of love. If a young man or woman stayed at home all the time without seeing anyone, nothing would ever happen in his or her life. To fall in love you have to spend time with people!

If one is convinced, or simply begins to think that it is good and worthwhile to know Jesus Christ in this other, transfigured, way, then one must spend time with him, to read his writings. The Gospel is his love letter! It is there that he reveals himself, where he "transfigures" himself. His house is the Church: It is there that one meets him.

[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

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Father Raniero Cantalamessa is the Pontifical Household preacher. The readings for this Sunday are Genesis 12:1-4a; 2 Timothy 1:8b-10; Matthew 17:1-9.

The common theme of today’s readings is metamorphosis or transformation. The readings invite us to transform our lives by renewing them during Lent, and to radiate the grace of the transfigured Lord around us by our Spirit-filled lives.
The primary purpose of Jesus’ transfiguration was to consult his heavenly Father and ascertain His plan for Our Lord’s suffering, death and resurrection. The secondary aim was to make his chosen disciples aware of his divine glory so that they might discard their worldly ambitions about a conquering political Messiah. The Transfiguration took place in late summer, probably, 29 AD, just prior to the Feast of Tabernacles.
The scene of heavenly glory: While praying, Jesus was transformed into a shining figure, full of heavenly glory. This reminds us of Moses and Elijah who had also experienced the Lord in all His glory. Moses had met the Lord in the burning bush at Mount Horeb (Exodus 3:1-4). After his encounter with God, Moses' face shone so brightly that the people were so frightened, and Moses had to wear a veil over his face (Exodus 34:29-35). Elijah traveled for forty days to Mt. Horeb on the strength of the food brought by an angel (1 Kings 19:8). At Mt. Horeb, Elijah sought refuge in a cave as the glory of the Lord passed over him (1 Kings 19:9-18
These representatives of the Law and the prophets, foreshadowed Jesus who is the culmination of the Law and the Prophets. Both prophets were initially rejected by the people but vindicated by God. The Jews believed that these men did not die because God Himself took Moses (Deut 34: 5-6) and Elijah was carried to heaven in a whirl wind (II Kings 2:11). So the implication is that, although God spared Moses and Elijah from the normal process of death, He did not spare His Son from suffering and death..!

God the Father’s voice from the cloud: The book of Exodus describes how God spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai from the cloud. God often made appearances in a cloud (Exod 24:15-17; 13:21 -22; 34:5; 40:34; 1 Kings 8:10-11). The book of I Kings, 8: 10, tells us how by the cover of a cloud, God revealed His presence in the Ark of the Covenant and in the temple of Jerusalem on the day of its dedication. The Jews generally believed that the phenomenon of the cloud would be repeated when t! he Messiah arrived. God the Father, Moses and Elijah approved the plan regarding Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection. God’s words from the cloud: “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him,” are the same words used by God at Jesus' baptism (3:17). They summarize the meaning of the Transfiguration: on this mountain, God reveals Jesus as His son -- His beloved -- the one in whom He is well pleased and to whom we must listen.
Messages: (1) The transfiguration in the Mass as a source of our strength. In each Holy Mass our offering of bread and wine becomes transformed into the body and blood of Jesus. Hence, just as the transfiguration strengthened the apostles in their time of trial, each Holy Mass should be the source of heavenly strength against our own temptations, and a source of renewal of our lives during Lent. In addition, communion with Jesus should be a source of daily transfiguration of both our minds and hearts. We must also be transformed by becoming more humble and selfless, sharing love, compassion and forgiveness with others.
(2) Each sacrament that we receive transforms us. Baptism, for example, transforms us into sons and daughters of God and heirs of heaven. Confirmation makes us the temples of the Holy Spirit. By the sacrament of reconciliation, God brings back the sinner to the path of holiness.

(3) A message of hope and encouragement. In moments of doubts and during feelings of despair, the expectation of our transfiguration in heaven helps us to reach out to God and listen to His consoling words: “This is my beloved son / daughter in whom I am well pleased.”