2nd Sunday of Lent (C)

 Gen. 15:5-12, 17-18; Phil. 3:17-4:1; Lk. 9:28b-36

During today's Gospel Reading, we heard that Jesus went up the mountain to pray with three Apostles, Peter, John and James. While they were on the mountain, the appearance of the face of Jesus changed and His clothing became dazzling white. Then, Moses and Elijah appeared and started talking to Jesus.

The Transfiguration of Jesus is one of the most profound moments in the Gospels. It is a divine revelation of Christ’s true nature, a moment where His human form is momentarily transformed, radiating divine light. This event is significant not only because it reveals Jesus’ divine glory but also because it serves as a lesson in transformation. When human beings truly experience God, they are never the same again. The Transfiguration teaches us that encountering God leads to spiritual change and renewal. 

The event of the Transfiguration takes place at a crucial point in Jesus’ ministry. He had been revealing Himself gradually to His disciples, teaching them about the Kingdom of God, healing the sick, and performing miracles. However, the disciples struggled

1st Sunday of Lent (C)

 Deut. 26:4-10; Rom. 10:8-13; Lk. 4:1-13

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we embark on this holy season of Lent, we are reminded of the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting and praying. It was a time of preparation, a time of solitude, but also a time of intense testing. The Gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, was led into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil. Today, we reflect on the three temptations.

The Temptation turning stones into bread was a Subtle Trap. The devil, knowing that Jesus had been fasting for forty days and was hungry, came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” At first glance, this might seem like a harmless suggestion. After all, Jesus was hungry. 

But Jesus responded with wisdom and authority, saying, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4)

Ash Wednesday (C)

 Joel 2:12-18; 2 Cor. 5:20-6:2; Mt. 6:1-6, 16-18

Today we are entering a new Season, one of penance and sacrifices. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. The ashes we receive today remind us of our mortality and the call to turn back to God with sincerity. "Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments." (Joel 2:12-13)

The spiritual practice of applying ashes on oneself as a sign of sincere repentance goes back thousands of years. Frequently in the days of the Old and the New Testament.  

Job, after realizing the greatness of God and his own unworthiness, declares, "I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:6)

When Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh, the king proclaimed a fast, sat in ashes, and ordered the people to turn from their evil ways (Jonah 3:5-6).