Glory Unveiled

I’m late, but I’m back!  “Theology On Tap” and “Daughters Of The King” craziness is mostly over now so proper blogging should resume shortly…

2nd Sunday of Lent: 4th March, 2012

The Readings this Sunday are a source of encouragement to strengthen to us during this Lenten season.

In the First Reading we read the familiar story of the testing of Abraham. This patriarch was asked by God to offer what was most precious to him, his own beloved son. This Reading demonstrates the obedience of Abraham, but it also gives us a picture of the love of God the Father who “so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” – John 3:16.

The theme of Christ’s sacrifice is picked up by St. Paul in our Second Reading where he asks “[God] did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?”. 

Finally, in this week’s Gospel we read the story of the Transfiguration. Jesus, together with His “inner circle” ascend a mountain where His glory is unveiled. While transfigured, Jesus is visited by the two greatest figures in Old Testament history, Moses and Elijah.

As this Lenten season continues, let us be inspired by Abraham’s love of God, comforted by the love of the Father which made Him give His Son and humbled by the love of the Son that He would come be our redeemer. Let us too  become “transfigured”, transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ as we serve Him in the world.

 

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

Last week we heard in the Gospel how Jesus was tempted in the desert and this week we hear the account of Abraham’s testing. This story is rich in typology, pointing us towards our Heavenly Father’s offering of His only begotten Son.

God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.”

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing- all this because you obeyed my command.”

Questions:

• What happens in this story?
• Why do you think Abraham was so obedient?
• Why do you think God asked Abraham to sacrifice His son?
• What are the similarities and differences between the sacrifice of Isaac and the sacrifice of Christ?

Commentary:

God put Abraham to the test. 

Satan tempts so as to see us fall. God tests so as to have our faith confirmed.

He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, …

It is emphasized that Isaac is Abraham’s only child from Sarah and that Abraham loves his son very deeply (as if he needed reminding!)

…and go to the land of Moriah. 

Jerusalem is built in part on Mt. Moriah:

“Then Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David” – 2 Chronicles 3:1

 Today it’s occupied by the Dome of the Rock (a Muslim mosque).

There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.”

This prefigures the sacrifice of another son of Abraham…

At this point in the story Abraham was in covenant with God. He had committed himself to obedience to the Lord. He has consecrated both himself and his son to the Lord through circumcision.

We call Abraham our “father in Faith”, “the father of all who believe” – Romans 4:11. God had promised to make Abraham a great nation and the only way this could happen would be through his son Isaac. Therefore Abraham “reasoned that God could raise the dead” – Hebrews 11:19.

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. 

There is a verse missing here which gives the detail that Isaac carried the wood for his sacrifice on his back. Another son of Abraham would carry wood on his back up a mountain in the form of a cross…

Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” 

The repetition of his name shows the urgency.

“Here I am!” he answered. 

Abraham answers as a servant.

“Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” 

Abraham’s faith was made complete by what he did (James 2:21-22).

As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. 

The Church Fathers saw the horns stuck in the thicket as symbolic of Christ’s crown of thorns.

So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

This is the first example of substitutionary sacrifice in the Bible. The ram died in the place of Isaac, just as Christ died in our place.

Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing- all this because you obeyed my command.”

Abraham’s covenant promises renewed.

 

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19

Today’s psalm is a song of praise for deliverance from death. There is suffering, redemption and thanksgiving. It may have been written by one of the Israelite kings, but read in light of the New Testament refers to Christ, the King of Kings…

R. (116:9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

I believed, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.

O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Questions:

• What are the themes of this psalm?
• How does this psalm relate to Christ?

Commentary:

R. (116:9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

A statement of faith

I believed, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.” Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.

It is affirmed that the Lord cares. Trust in Him, even in the face of suffering.

O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

The psalmist thanks the Lord for setting him free and he promises to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice.

My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people, In the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem.

The psalmist will praise the Lord before His people in the Temple in Jerusalem.

 

Reading II: Romans 8:31b-34

This week’s Second Reading is a short extract from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans and focuses on the allegorical fulfillment of our First Reading: the Sacrifice of Christ.

Brothers and sisters: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us, who will condemn? Christ Jesus it is who died-or, rather, was raised – who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

Questions:

• What questions does Paul ask in this passage? What did God do for us? What are the consequences of this?
• How does he relate these questions to Jesus?

Commentary:

Brothers and sisters: If God is for us,…

…and it’s clear in Paul’s mind that He is…

…who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

If the Father gave us Christ, what else could he possibly withhold? If He gave the greatest thing (His Son), then surely He will also give whatever is necessary to reach the fulfillment of His work.

There is a clear parallel with the First Reading. The wording of “…did not spare his own Son” comes from the Greek version of our First Reading.

Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us, who will condemn? Christ Jesus it is who died-or, rather, was raised – who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

The image here is a of a courtroom. Nobody can condemn because God has already acquitted us. This is because:

1. Christ died for us

2. He is alive and seated with the Father

3. He intercedes for us

 

Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

The account of the Transfiguration is found in all of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), but not in John. This might come as a surprise to us, but then again, neither does John’s Gospel include a narrative for the institution of the Eucharist. Instead, John’s entire Gospel is full to the rafters of Eucharistic imagery. In a similar way, John’s entire Gospel is full of “transfigurative” imagery as well.

The Greek word used for “transfigure” is metamorphosis (μεταμόρφωσις) and this same word is used by St. Paul to describe the change which should be taking place in us as well:

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” – 2 Corinthians 3:18

We use the word “transfiguration” which comes from the Latin “trans”, meaning “radical change” and “figur” which means  “appearance”.

Immediately prior to this passage, Jesus has given the first prediction of His death. Now Jesus takes a few of his disciples up a mountain and displays his glory. This passage is important for a number of reasons. In it was see the Trinity expressed whereby the Father speaks from Heaven, the Son is transfigured and the Spirit is represented by a cloud. There is also a clear parallel with Jesus’ baptism and, for this reason, the Transfiguration is often referred to as the “Small Epiphany”.

And we must observe, that, as when the Lord was baptized in Jordan, so on the mountain, covered with brightness, the whole mystery of the Holy Trinity is declared, because we shall see in the resurrection that glory of the Trinity which we believers confess in baptism, and shall praise it all together. Nor is it without reason that the Holy Ghost appeared here in a bright cloud, there in the form of a dove; because he who now with a simple heart keeps the faith which He has embraced, shall then contemplate what he had believed with the brightness of open vision. But when the voice had been heard over the Son, He was found Himself alone, because when He shall have manifested Himself to His elect, God shall be all in all, yes Christ with His own, as the Head with the body, shall shine through all things – St. Bede

As well as foreshadowing the Resurrection, this transfiguration points towards Christ’s Second Coming in glory:

Again mystically; after the end of this world, which was made in six days, Jesus will take us up (if we be His disciples) into a high mountain, that is, into heaven, where we shall see His exceeding glory – Theophyl

…and, finally, Origen gives us a moral sense of this passage:

“Christ led the disciples up the mountain after six days to show that we must rise above our love for created things, which were made by God in six days, to enter on the seventh day into the vision of Christ’s glory” – Origin

He’s just given His first Passion prediction. The Transfiguration is to strengthen the faith of the apostles.

Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice,
“This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Questions:

• What is the background to this passage? What happened immediately prior?
• What do you think the purpose behind the Transfiguration is?
• Why do you think Jesus chose those disciples?
• Why are Elijah and Moses present?
• Why are the disciples confused about the resurrection from the dead?

Commentary:

Jesus took Peter, James, and John…

This calls to mind an episode in Moses’ life:

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel…When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud…When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.” – Exodus 24:1,15-16; 34:29

There are several parallels with this episode in the life of Moses are many:

1. Both take place on the seventh day

2. Both involve the glory cloud

3. God speaks on both occasions

4. Three named companions accompany

Peter would later write:

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. – 2 Peter 1:16-18

The choice of Peter, James and John is significant. These three disciples make up Jesus’ “inner circle”. Peter is the rock on which the Church was built, James was the first apostle to be martyred and John was the beloved disciple. They all receive nicknames by Jesus. Simon becomes “Peter” (Matthew 16:18) and James and John are called “Sons of Thunder” (Luke 5: 10).

“And He takes with Him the three chiefs of the Apostles, Peter, as confessing and loving him, John, as the beloved one, James, as being sublime in speech and as a divine; for so displeasing was he to the Jews, that Herod wishing to please the Jews slew him” –  Theophylactus of Achrida

These disciples are present at all the important and intimate moments of Jesus’ ministry, being present not only here but also at the raising of Jairus’ daughter, on the Mount of Olives and in Gethsemane.

…and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. 

None of the Gospel narrative identify this mountain. The first person to identify it was St. Jerome in the late Fourth Century, who said it was Mt. Tabor (literally, “bed of purity and light”). This mountain becomes a counterpart to Mt. Sinai/Horeb, just where God’s glory was reveled to Moses (Exodus 24:15-18) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:8-18). In fact, in Scripture, mountains are often places of encounter with God:

• Moses encountered God in the burning bush at Mt. Sinai
• Elijah encountered God in the still, small voice at Mt. Sinai
• The greatest sermon of all time is the Sermon on the Mount
• Jesus was crucified on Mt. Calvary

And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. 

A “fuller” is someone who cleans cloth.

The Transfiguration is the perfection of all the manifestations (“theophanies”) of God in Salvation History, revealing Jesus’ identity as his glory is unveiled:

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth – John 1:14

Some people point to the Transfiguration as fulfillment of these words of Jesus:

And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” – Mark 9:1

This transfiguration points towards Heaven:

“The glory that shone around the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration prefigures the contemplation of God in eternity, when the minds of the saints will be for ever lifted up from lower concerns and engulfed in the blazing light of the Trinity” – St. Dionysius

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. 

Elijah and Moses are the two principal figures of Judaism:

1. Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets, respectively, both of which pointed to Christ.

Or else it means, that we are to see in glory both the Law and the Prophets speaking with Him, that is we shall then find that all those things which were spoken of Him by Moses and the other prophets agree with the reality; then too we shall hear the voice of the Father, revealing to us the Son of the Father, and saying “This is my beloved Son”, and the cloud, that is, the Holy Ghost, the fount of truth, will overshadow us – Theophyl

2. Moses and Elijah had visions of God while on Mountains, Mt. Sinai and Mt. Carmel, respectively.

3. Moses and Elijah represent the living and the dead since the former died (body?) and the latter was assumed into Heaven

St. John Chyrostom goes on to say:

He brings Moses and Elias before them; first, indeed, because the multitudes said that Christ was Elias, and one of the Prophets, He shows Himself to the Apostles with them that they might see the difference between the Lord, and His servants. And again because the Jews accused Christ of transgressing the law, and thought Him a blasphemer, as if He arrogated to Himself the glory of His Father, He brought before them those who shone conspicuous in both ways; for Moses gave the Law, and Elias was zealous for the glory of God; for which reason neither would have stood near Him, if He had been opposed to God and to His law.

And that they might know that He holds the power of life and of death, He brings before them both Moses who was dead, and Elias who had not yet suffered death. Furthermore He signified by this that the doctrine of the Prophets was the schoolmaster to the doctrine of Christ. He also signified the junction of the New and Old Testament, and that the Apostles shall be joined in the resurrection with the Prophets, and both together shall go forth to meet their common King. It goes on, And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for or Elias – St. John Chrysostom

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. 

The overshadowing of the cloud (episkiazein) is a Greek pun on the word tent (skenas).

Peter wants to prolong the mountaintop experience – he wanted the mountain of transfiguration, not the mountain of Calvary.

If the transfigured humanity of Christ and the society of but two saints seen for a moment, could confer delight to such a degree that Peter would, even by serving them, stay their departure, how great a happiness will it be to enjoy the vision of Diety amidst choirs of Angels for ever? – St. Bede

It also points to the Feast of Tabernacles, a feast based on the grape harvest and the wanderings in the desert:

“So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’” – Leviticus 23:39-43

In the early church this became a symbol of ongoing joys of heaven:

 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” – Revelation 21:3

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; …

In the Old Testament, the cloud is the manifestation of God’s presence. A pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire led the Children of Israel through the desert. Moses enters the cloud while on Mt. Sinai.

At that time he will reveal where these things are hidden, and the dazzling light of his presence will be seen in the cloud, as it was in the time of Moses and on the occasion when Solomon prayed that the Temple might be dedicated in holy splendor – 2 Maccabees 2:8

In the New Testament we read about another “overshadowing” at the annunciation:

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” – Luke 1:35

Clouds also feature at the Ascension (Acts 1:9) and in St. Paul’s description of Christ’s Return (1 Thessalonians 4: 17)

from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

The “law” and the “prophets” disappear – only Christ remains…

In the First Reading Isaac is also described as a “beloved Son”.

In commanding the disciples to “Listen to him”, we are reminded of Moses’ promise:

“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him” –  Deuteronomy 18:15

This passage is referenced by Peter in Acts 3:20-22.

As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

It wasn’t so much that they didn’t understand the resurrection from the dead, but the resurrection of the son of man. They could not comprehend a suffering and killed Messiah.

After the showing of the mystery on the mount, the Lord commanded His disciples, as they were coming down from the mount, not to reveal His transfiguration, before the glory of His Passion and Resurrection; wherefore it is said, And as they came down from the mountain , he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead – Origen