Listen to him!

Today we celebrate the second Sunday of Lent. As always the gospel on the Second Sunday of Lent is the Transfiguration. This great Theophany or manifestation of Jesus. This story is known as one of the great theophanies of Jesus to his disciples and to the world. The first is the Epiphany, when Jesus is manifested to all nations, then baptism when God proclaims the identity of Jesus. And now with the transfiguration. The words of God are the same at baptism as here at the transfiguration. So why put this gospel here, here in Lent? Why not put this gospel at Christmas? Or at the beginning of ordinary time? Of course, the gospel is here because Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. The place of his crucifixion and resurrection. We know that this time of Lent is the way of the cross to Calvary. But there is something else, I think, the words of God. “This is my son, my chosen one; listen to him.” Listen to him! This season of Lent is a time above all to listen, to listen to the voice of the Lord. When Jesus and his disciples went up the mountain they went to pray, they did not go to be transfigured. When Jesus prayed, he changed. He is in the presence of the Father; he must be different. And when the disciples wake up, they notice the change too. I think we can say that they changed as well. Pray changes us! Jesus needed to pray, the disciples also needed to pray. We need to pray. As they changed, we too will change through prayer. Lent is a time of prayer. The three great Lenten practices: fasting, helping, and praying. We are invited to pray in this season of Lent. Not prayer of petition like “God help me, with gasoline at more than $5.00 a gallon I don't know how I'm going to pay the bills.” Or praying for peace in Ukraine. Of course, this kind of prayer is very good and important. But I believe that God is inviting us to another type of prayer. In our lives many times we lack moments of clarity and certainty, of joy and light. We have problems with our children, we don't know how to help them. There is a lack of understanding in our marriage. We know we should be more attentive, but we don't know how. At work, school, any important decision. We do not know what to do. Jesus invites us to climb the mountain with him. He invites us to be silent. It is not a prayer found in books, only in the presence of Jesus. The disciples were with Jesus half asleep, but waking up they saw the glory of the Lord. We too are half asleep many times in our lives. We must wake up to see the glory of the Lord. He says that Peter did not know what he was saying. That is why God's command is so important. We don't have to say anything, we have to listen. We have to listen to the voice of the Lord. We need ti hear the voice of the Lord. We need to be a praying community if we want to revive our faith. It is not enough to come to Mass and listen to the Gospel half-distractedly once a week. Every day we need to listen to the word of Jesus. If only 5 minutes. Read the gospel of the day. Start with the Gospel of Luke and read a chapter each day. We have to listen to Jesus in the most intimate of our being. We have to listen to the gospel thinking that Jesus is talking to us. Imagine that we are climbing the mountain with Jesus. That we are there asleep with Pedro, Santiago and Juan. That we are hearing the voice of God. Know that God was not only talking to Peter, James and John. But us too. This Lent let the words of Jesus descend from our heads to our hearts. Let the words descend from the bible into our lives. Let the words of Jesus descend from Jerusalem to Los Angeles. Let the words of Jesus descend into our homes, our schools or work. It is the word of the son of God, listen to it. If we listen to his word our faith would be stronger, more joyful, more contagious.