Bishop Stephen Wright shares a pastoral letter on the Second Sunday of Lent, 16 March 2025.
“This is my Son, the Chosen One, listen to him.”
“Dear sisters and brothers
On the Second Sunday of Lent we always listen to an account of Jesus’ Transfiguration. It is a foretaste of the glory of the Resurrection that is to come. The disciplines of Lent only make sense because of Easter.
Jesus’ disciples needed this insight into Jesus’ glory. They were tired and had been listening to some hard-hitting teaching from Jesus. Just prior to climbing the hill, Jesus had been teaching them that they must take up their crosses, they must lose their lives to save them, and if they are ashamed of Jesus and his words then the Son of Man will be ashamed of them. Perhaps part of the Lord’s intention in displaying His glory in the Transfiguration was to affirm and reassure his followers.
Every Sunday we receive that same affirmation and reassurance from the Lord. We all need it. Every Sunday the glory of the Risen Lord is present in the Eucharist. The Bread and wine are transfigured into the Body and Blood of the Lord and given to us. The Eucharist is our foretaste of the heavenly banquet that is to come.
Peter, James and John were taken by surprise by the sight of Jesus’ glory. Jesus shows Himself to be the completion of the Law and Prophets as he appears with Moses and Elijah. Struggling for words, Peter suggests, “Let us make three tents,” one for Jesus, Elijah and Moses…” [continued]