The Gospel of the Transfiguration completes the ‘little parable’ which begins Lent. The Gospels of the first two Sundays describe what Lent is about and what Christian life is about: a constant journey from temptation and doubt to transfiguration and faith; a journey away from allowing ourselves to be tempted to evil and towards allowing ourselves to be tempted to good by the action of God’s Holy Spirit within us.

Transfiguration means to be ‘shot-through’ with the presence of God. Being transfigured is about allowing the presence of God to completely transform us; it is a revolution of mind and heart driven by God’s Spirit and enabled by our open heartedness.

That’s what our life as Christians is about: being transfigured by the Spirit of God so that God is seen in, and experienced through, us.

The journey to transfiguration requires faith and perseverance. The first reading tells the story of the covenant God makes with Abraham. It is a story of great faith and trust: Abraham’s faith in God, and God’s faith in Abraham. What God was promising Abraham must have seemed fantastic to him, yet he trusts in God’s word, leaves everything that was important to him behind and sets out on God’s journey.

It takes faith and perseverance to dare to allow ourselves to be tempted by the passion, hope and vision of God rather than our own desires and wants. It takes great faith to trust in God’s word to us. But if we do, the living word of the ‘Beloved Son’ forms in us the heart of God and we become transfigured by God’s love alive in us.