As we embark on this sacred Season of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday, we are poignantly reminded of our human mortality. When ashes are placed on our foreheads, we hear the solemn words: “Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” This powerful reminder encourages us to reflect on the transient nature of our earthly existence. According to 2 Corinthians 6:2, Lent represents a time of grace and salvation—a forty- day long desert journey inviting us to engage in deep contemplation of our lives, recognizing the inevitable pains and challenges we face, while also acknowledging the ultimate truth: our earthly lives will come to an end.
During this season, we are called to unite ourselves with the Passion and Cross of Christ. In doing so, we embrace the reality that through our struggles, we are paving the way to partake in the glory of His Resurrection. This profound truth is beautifully illustrated in the event of Jesus’ Transfiguration on the mountain. His divine intentions during this moment were manifold:
1. To allow His disciples to witness the splendor of His divinity.
2. To affirm His identity as God, for up until this point, they had only perceived Him in His human form.
3. To prepare their hearts for the impending shock of His Passion and Death, providing a glimpse of the hope that lies beyond suffering.
4. To remind them—and us—that while our earthly sufferings may be significant, they are not the endpoint of our existence.
Through the Transfiguration, Jesus emphasizes the promise of the Resurrection, which He foretold would triumph after His own Passion and Death. The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 3:20-4:1, poignantly reminds us that those who oppose the Cross of Christ face destruction; they are driven by earthly desires rather than heavenly aspirations. Instead, Saint Paul calls upon us, as citizens of Heaven, to embrace and love the Cross of Christ. As St. Rose of Lima wisely states, “The Cross is our ladder to Heaven” (cf. CCC 618).
Moreover, Saint Paul connects the glory witnessed at Jesus’ Transfiguration with the future glory that awaits us. He teaches that Jesus “will change our lowly body to conform to His glorified body, by the power that enables Him to bring all things into subjection to Himself.” With this understanding, we are urged to “stand firm in the Lord,” for it is through participating in the Passion and Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ that we will ultimately share in His glory.
Let us remain steadfast and undeterred, ensuring that nothing causes us to lose sight of the Cross of Christ. May we embrace our journey through Lent with renewed faith and perseverance. Amen.
Ya gazie!
