SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
THE CHALLENGE OF
CHANGE
I saw a caption about Lent that
says: We put ashes on our forehead not to proclaim our holiness but to show
that we are sinners in need of God’s mercy.
Indeed Lent is a annual reminder
of our need for change. We realize
our faults and accept that by our own efforts we cannot become who God wants us
to be. So in Lent we ask the Lord
to walk with us, to bless us, to be merciful to us and to liberate us from the
past and usher us into the new.
The change Jesus experienced on
Mt Tabor seems effortless and pretty easy. He just prayed and then stood there
and voila! – he was totally transfigured before his disciples. He became exceedingly shining and
bright. What we do not see here is
that this change is a prelude to the experiences awaiting him – the attacks of
his enemies, the betrayal of his friend, the abandonment of his disciples, the
pain of being misunderstood, the loss of most things dear to him.
Jesus’ transfiguration came with
a high price. The cross was lurking
behind him all the time.
So it is with our own
transfiguration, our own struggle to change. When we want to change for the
better, not everybody appreciates our decision; not everybody supports our
plan. In fact, there will always
be people who will discourage us. They will speak against us and gossip about
us. They will laugh at us and call
us crazy. They will judge us and
say that we cannot change anymore.
If they were gods, they would not allow us to change a single bit.
But God is different. Look at the second reading today, Pauls
letter to the Romans (chapter 8: 31-43).
“Who will accuse us? Who will condemn us? God is the one who justifies
(forgives, makes holy). Jesus died and rose for us and intercedes for us.” Surely God is the first one who supports
our decision to change.
St. Paul must have experienced a
lot of detractors when he first chose to offer his life for Jesus, and surely
he found great support in God alone.
That is why he could say: “If God is for us, who is against us?”
Lord I want to change. I want new
life. Thank you for your
understanding. Thank you for your love.
I listen only to your words.
