Youth Ministry Resources - 2nd Sunday of Lent

Year B: Mk 9:2-10 - The transfiguration - 2nd Sunday of Lent

Last week we were in the wilderness with Jesus and now we are in another extreme place, a mountain top, not lush like Australian mountains, but more barren and with a steep, narrow rock hewn path to the summit. Just prior to this story, Jesus had been explaining to these three disciples that he was destined to suffer and die (8:27-38) something they could not accept.

With that on their mind, they follow Jesus up a mountain, the symbolic place of revelation. On this mountain, a theophany, or self-revelation by God, happens, it was as if Jesus' inner reality shone forth and transfigured his outer appearance and he shone and was luminous in white, a symbol of our Baptism.

Jesus was not alone, he has Moses and Elijah with him because they are representing the Law and the Prophets and by their presence they confirm Jesus' authority and the legitimacy of his teaching. However, if that were not enough, a cloud overshadows them. This is the cloud of unknowing where God is met and heard. The same word "overshadows" is used when the Holy Spirit visits Mary, so we know something great is about to happen.

God speaks to the disciples and explains that "this is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him". This is the directive the disciples need to hear so that they can journey with Jesus towards Jerusalem and face the shame and death he must confront there. But, they are afraid until suddenly they looked around and with great irony we hear that "only Jesus" was with them.

We too can be consumed or overcome by fear if we remove ourselves from God's presence. Fear can impregnate itself into groups in the Church and some can cling to earlier times in the Church when Church and society seemed less complicated. We need to look at our community and our Church and consider if there are aspects of fear growing in the Church today.

It is vital to remember that we have to be able to articulate our hope from our Gospel sense of communion and mission for the Church. "Always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that is within you" (1 Peter 3:15-18) this will calm the fears of those we encounter.

Yes, we are facing many changes but we do not face them alone and our only requirement is to turn to Jesus to be touched and transfigured into the Baptismal reality that enables us to glow, luminous in the truth that God looks upon each of us to say "this is my beloved child".

Cate Mapstone

Year A: Matt 17:1-13 - The Transfiguration - 2nd Sunday of Lent

Just before this amazing appearance of Jesus to the three chosen disciples, Peter, James and John, Jesus had explained to all of the disciples that he was destined to suffer and die (16:21) something that they could not accept. With that on their mind, they follow Jesus up a mountain, the symbolic place of revelation. On this mountain, a theophany, or self-revelation by God, happens, it was as if Jesus' inner reality shone forth and transfigured his outer appearance and he shone and was luminous in white, a symbol of Baptism. Jesus is not alone, he has Moses and Elijah with him because they are representing the Law and the Prophets and by their presence they confirm Jesus' authority and the legitimacy of his teaching. However, if that were not enough, a cloud overshadows them. This is the cloud of unknowing where God is met and heard. The same word "overshadows" is used when the Holy Spirit visits Mary, so we know something great is about to happen.

God speaks to the disciples and explains that this "is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!" this is the directive the disciples need to hear so that they can journey with Jesus towards Jerusalem and the shame and death he must confront there. But, they are afraid until they are touched by Jesus who brings them back to his presence, alone - there is great irony in the statement that they "only" saw Jesus. We too can be consumed or overcome by fear if we remove ourselves from God's presence. Fear can impregnate itself into groups in the Church and some can cling to earlier times in the Church when Church and Society seemed less complicated. We need to look at our community and our Church and consider if there are aspects of fear growing in the Church today.

It is vital to remember that we have to be able to articulate our hope, from our Gospel sense of communion, for the Church. We must always be ready to name the hope that is in us so that we can calm the fears of those we encounter. Yes, we are facing many changes but we do not face them alone and our only requirement is to turn to Jesus to be touched and transfigured into the Baptismal reality that enables us to glow, luminous in the truth that God looks upon each of us to say "this is my beloved child."

Cate Mapstone

YOUTH ANGLE: And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun

The transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain talks to us about being transformed - about being changed. So it suits this time of Lent so much. Because it's a time to look at ourselves and see how we might need to change things. Jesus went up to a very high mountain to meet with God and be transfigured. From the top of a mountain you have a really good view - a view of your life and yourself and your surroundings - so that you can see what needs transformation.

If you climbed to the top of that mountain and saw your life spread around you - what would it look like? From there: alone - but close to God - can we see what needs to be done. And then Jesus had an encounter with God - and was transformed - and his face shone like the sun. There is so much in our own lives, in our families, communities and wider world that needs transformation. But if we don't take the time to climb the mountain - to move back and look at it from another perspective, or a distance - we won't see where the transformation is needed. So - during Lent - let's take time to climb the mountain. So that we can be transformed and we can, with God's help, make transformations in our world.

Manuela Macri

Year C: Luke 9:28-36 - The Transfiguration of Jesus - 2nd Sunday of Lent

We are so familiar with the story of the Transfiguration that we can almost miss the opportunity to see the insights from this amazing story, here and now in 2004. We can be like Peter and get caught up in the spectacle rather than the teaching. Just prior to climbing the mountain, Jesus had foretold his suffering and death in Jerusalem (Lk 9:22-27). He then took the three disciples who would play significant roles during his journey to Jerusalem up a mountain to pray. We are told that as Jesus prayer "the aspect of his face was changed…" so prayer is a central aspect of this transfiguration. The disciples hear Diving confirmation of Jesus way of the cross and still they miss the point and only see Jesus as another messianic figure like Moses (Law) and Elijah (Prophet), hence the suggestion of the three booths.

God is eminently patient while we grope around in the dark and in 2004 would probably say "HELLO, turn everything off and listen to me." God speaks so clearly that there is no room for doubt and says, Jesus is "my Son, the Beloved" a rank far outstripping that of Moses or Elijah. The Divine command is rather clear "LISTEN TO HIM." Prayer is the great transformer because it is through prayer that we stay open to God and it is through prayer that we are transformed "transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Cor 3:18). So go to your 'mountain' and pray and then go forth transformed and change your part of the world.

Cate Mapstone

Youth Ministry Resources 2nd Sunday of Lent
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