On the second Sunday in Lent each year we join Peter, James and John to witness that incredible moment when Jesus is changed (in the Greek, metamorphoo, which you can probably discern from the word is an aorist indicative passive third person singular verb, which is a form of ‘metamorphosis’ meaning ‘to remodel’ or ‘to change into another form’) before their eyes to show his glory as the Son of God. The three apostles are joined by two other, more ancient witnesses – Moses and Elijah – as together they worship before the presence of the Lord. In Matthew’s Gospel, there are three prominent mountains – the one that we have journeyed with over many weeks before Lent began – the mountain where the Sermon of Matthew 5-7 was delivered; our mountain today (traditionally listed as Mt Tabor, but Mt Hermon, being closer to Caesarea Philippi where Mt 16 ends is more likely – but it is more inaccessible and less pilgrim-friendly); and the ‘high place’ of Calvary. All three need to be seen in the light of each other.
Recorded at Mater Dolorosa, 6pm Vigil (8’25”)
Lent 2, Year A. Matthew 17:1-9