In the gospel for the second Sunday of Lent we hear the Transfiguration story where Jesus is revealed in His Heavenly glory. We encounter transformation every time we receive a sacrament. Baptism transforms us into children of God and heirs of heaven.
Confirmation transforms us to be brave witnesses of and warriors for Christ. Reconciliation transforms sinners to saints. In every Mass, the bread and wine we offer on the altar are transformed into the crucified and risen, living body and blood of Jesus. Every Mass should be our source of Heavenly strength against temptations, and renew us during Lent. Our Communion with the living Jesus should be the source of our daily “transfiguration,” transforming our minds and hearts so that we may do more good, through service to others. The transfiguration gives us a message of encouragement and hope in times of doubt and during our dark moments of despair and hopelessness, pain and suffering. The thought of our future transformation in Heaven will surely help us to reach out to God and to listen to His words: “This is my beloved son.” During this Lent let us offer our Lenten sacrifices to the Lord so that through the acceptance of our daily crosses, we may grow closer to him in his suffering, may share in the carrying of his cross and finally may share the glory of his second “transfiguration,” namely, his Resurrection.
I found the following material on the internet about a Dr. Peggy Hartshorn who tells a dramatic story about a woman who glimpsed the mystery of her unborn child. The young woman was seeking an abortion. She simply could not handle having a baby at this time. But she agreed to an ultrasound. When the baby appeared on the screen, the woman was amazed to see the perfectly formed body, the tiny legs and arms moving inside her womb. But the woman kept saying, “No, no, I have to have an abortion.” Dr. Hartshorn knew that seventy-five percent of women who see an ultrasound decide to keep their baby – but that a quarter, nevertheless, still have the abortion. It seemed like this woman would be in that twenty-five percent. All of sudden, Dr. Hartshorn’s assistant said, “Reach out and take your baby’s hand.” The woman raised her hand and touched the monitor. As if by some divine cue, the baby stretched out his arm to the exact place of his mom’s hand. On the screen his tiny fingers met hers. The woman underwent a transformation and kept her baby. Surely we recognise that there is a mystery inside each one of us – the mystery of the image of God.