Lectionary 340 Feb.19

Scripture: Lectionary 340. Hebrews 11:1-7. Psalm 145:2-3.4-5.10-11. Mark
9:2-13:

We are greeted at the gateway of our liturgical readings again from a
summary in the Epistle to the Hebrews. It is an appropriate way to conclude
our readings from the first eleven chapters of Genesis since it takes a few
of the heroic persons and events that we learned of during the past few
week from Genesis. Faith is one of the principal themes of Hebrews and
today is clearly the theme. Certain righteous persons are given as
examples of faith: Abel, Enoch, and Noah. They pleased God and thus were
able to be with God. Hebrews states, "Without faith it is impossible to
please him. Anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who seek him." The faith in Hebrews is always eschatological,
that is, it looks to our eventually being with God. The sheer dogged
endurance or perseverance on the pilgrimage with Jesus is a support virtue
for our faith in searching and finding God.

Peter, James, and John are also models of faith and discipleship. They are
chosen by Jesus to share one of the most hopeful events in their following
the Lord. They are on a mountain and have the good fortune to see Jesus
transfigured before them. As leaders of the band of twelve these three
must support and serve the other disciples by their faith and their trust
in Jesus who calls them to be a select threesome. Above we saw that the
author of Hebrews signals three from the book of Genesis to be models of
faith; here there are three, Peter, James, and John and then the
transcendent Jesus with Moses the Torah giver and Elijah the miracle
prophet. With Jesus in their midst we have a symbolic picture of how he is
fulfilling both the Mosaich covenant and the prophetic mission of Elijah
the one who prepares for the messiah. In Luke's version the added word
EXODUS is used for Jesus' passing from this world to the next. It is
prefigured in the transfiguration. For us the mystery and miracle is a
call for us to transformed into Christ by observing the Law and the
Prophets and becoming the disciples of Jesus just as Peter, James, and John
are.

Such an extraordinary happening enables the disciples to think back on the
event when difficult times come. They continue then to follow Jesus on his
way to the Cross; they are prepared for it by the three times Jesus will
remind them and if they fail they will be forgiven and move on after the
Resurrection with better results in their discipleship calling.
Transfiguration leads to transformation into Christ where we are given the
grace to overcome our fears, our doubts, our sufferings. Jesus being in
the middle of this happening is the fulfillment of what Moses taught and
what Elijah enacted in his adventuresome life as a prophet. Like Elijah we
too are to be prophetic about the word of God that we live out. With Moses
we are in a covenant that calls for fidelity to the commandments of God
especially that of love for our neighbor and even for our enemies. We
therefore can bless God: Blessed are you God of the universe who has
blessed us with your Son's transfiguration and given us the faith to
continue to believe and trust in him and in ourselves as images and
likenesses of your beloved son."