Light in the Darkness: Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Lent

2^nd Sunday Lent, A                                                                                         March 5, 2023
Fr. Alexander Albert                                                              St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette

To shine with the radiance of God, we must endure the cross. This is why Jesus tells his apostles not to share this glorious vision until after he has risen from the dead. It is why St. Paul tells Timothy and us to “bear your share of hardship for the gospel,” because what makes the gospel “good news” is this awareness of suffering and the cross.

History bears this out. God promises to make Abraham into a great nation. You know your bible stories – ask yourself, when does Abraham’s family grow the most? What happens between the time of Abraham having one son and the time that 600,000 people are his descendants? What moves the story from a single family to an entire nation? Slavery in Egypt. The book of Exodus tells us that, yes, Abraham’s descendants did grow while well treated in Egypt, but it goes on to tell us that “the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread” (Ex 1:12).

When did Christianity go from being a few hundred disciples to being almost half the Roman Empire? While it was illegal and persecuted. Just look at where Christianity is growing fastest today. In places like China where the government is cracking down and in parts of Africa where Islam is aggressive, Christian faith is growing both through new members and through deeper witness.

Why is this? Because when the darkness and suffering of the cross are obvious, the light of the resurrection is just that much easier to recognize and embrace. Still, in order for the message to be proclaimed, someone has to bear witness to it. Someone has to know the victory of God and then choose to bring that light into the darkness of the world. This is what Jesus is doing. He not only knows about glory of God, he is that glory, as the Father’s voice confirms for us.

It’s the whole point of Christmas – the Incarnation – that our glorious, perfect, all-powerful God hid his glory in order to enter into our world and become flesh. This Transfiguration is a peek behind the curtain, a glimpse both of where Jesus came from and where he is leading us. For just a brief moment, the gospel becomes visible in a profound way… Moses and Elijah show up to bear witness to the fact that this has been God’s plan all along – the law of the Old Testament and the prophetic warnings of the Old Testament have always been pointing up to God’s eternal glory and forward to the moment when that glory would “[destroy] death and [bring] life and immortality.”

The whole reason Jesus recruited disciples, selected the 12 Apostles, and got particularly close to the 3 here on the mountain was so that he could set up this cascading revelation of the light that shines in the darkness to overcome death. Each layer bearing witness to the next that this is true. He gives these apostles just enough of a glimpse that they have something to hold onto when the darkness hits full force in his death and crucifixion. Even though they still fall away at the cross, this glorious moment is like a seed of hope, a kind of anchor of faith in the storm of fear and disbelief that Jesus’ passion brings to his followers.

That’s why we always hear this gospel passage on the second Sunday of Lent. Just a little ways into the season of penance, we are given that same glimpse of light, that same seed of hope to bring us through the long days ahead and especially through great and terrible passion of Good Friday.

As with everything in our faith, this is not some sterile set of ideas, some nice story to think about. It is an invitation to a deeper awareness of reality and a source of consolation and understanding in the mixes and messes of daily life. The goal is not for you to simply memorize and repeat this poetic and rich theological idea, it’s to make it real and living in your life after Mass is ended.

So, where is your darkness? What problem… or potential problem is looming over your future? What suffering are you enduring now? What is causing you to doubt the truth that God loves you at each and every moment of your life? Acknowledge that now and mentally place it upon the altar. It won’t disappear, but placing it there will help you to see it as the transitory cross before the resurrection.

More importantly, take a moment to consider where the transfiguration has broken into your life. Where have you been given glimpses of the glory that awaits you after the sufferings of this world? Is it a profound moment in prayer? An experience at Mass or confession? A retreat, book, or conversation that really struck you? A story or example from some saint or holy person? It doesn’t have to be an emotional moment, just one where the objective reality of God’s goodness seemed real to you. Go back to that in prayer, listen to Christ speak again through it. Speak to Him about it. When you look at the host lifted up at Mass, think of that event or experience and ask God to renew your trust in the promises he made to you through that moment.

What if you’ve never experienced God’s glory in a meaningful way? Well, ask for it. But also, keep climbing. The Apostles had to follow Jesus up a “high mountain” before they could see his light. It could be an unconfessed sin, an attachment to something, an unwillingness to face a difficult truth, mere laziness, or something else that’s blocking you. Regardless, go looking for God long enough and you will find him. I know of one atheist who every day stopped at a Church, quickly popped in to say “I don’t believe you’re real” and walked out. After 50 days of doing that, he experienced God.

Keep climbing. And while you do, take note of those who have had that experience of God’s glory. You can recognize them as the people who are suffering, but still have real joy. Others have that light, but without the trial of the cross, it’s harder to see. So look for that contrast and see if you can recognize what God has done for them.

Whatever the case, this paradox of light in the darkness, of transfiguration in the middle of Lent, of joy in suffering is essential to knowing and living the Catholic faith on earth. Embracing that truth – learning to stop looking for the perfect situation – is part of finding peace. Though you may, like Peter, want to stay in the preview of glory, you cannot. Though you feel like your suffering is a sign of God’s absence, you are mistaken. It is precisely in embracing that trial while holding to the hope that you will be a better witness.

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” And what does he say? The resurrection is coming, victory is assured. So listen to him! And when you live that, when you embrace both cross and resurrection, both Lenten penance and Easter feasting, both mourning for sin and rejoicing in mercy, then your very life speaks the same truth. The greater your suffering, the brighter your hope can shine and the more clearly your very life will be that same voice of the Father saying we really can believe what Jesus said – that he would be rise from the dead. He did rise and by his grace, so will you.