March 16, 2025
II Sunday of Lent Year C
Luke 9:28b-36
Today’s Gospel passage (Luke 9:28b-36) begins with some words that the liturgy omits. They are words that inform us that “about eight days after these sayings” (Luke 9:28) Jesus takes Peter, John and James with him and goes up the mountain and prays. We dwell on these first words: about eight days after these sayings. Luke does not say that the transfiguration takes place about eight days after some facts, some events, but eight days after some sayings.
What are the speeches about?
The discourses in question are told immediately before (Luke 9:18-27), and they are discourses about Peter’s confession of faith and the first announcement of Jesus’ passion and resurrection.
This is the first key to the story we hear today. For the evangelist wants to tell us that the experience of beauty and light that Jesus and his disciples have on the mountain is inextricably linked to the discourse of the cross and love.
There is a mysterious connection between the pain and beauty of life: those who go through the experience of the cross without running away, without cursing, emerge transformed and as new. They become something else. In fact, Luke does not speak of transfiguration, but says that the appearance of his face changed, literally “became other” (Luke 9:29).
The reference to Easter is clear. Indeed, it is primarily the Easter discourse that is “other”. “Other” from the logic of the world, which is characterized by sin and all its parasites, such as the will to possess, to dominate, to overpower. The logic of the cross is different, and it is a logic of life given and offered.
Those who engage in this “exodus” become other, different, become full of light and life.
This “exodus” is also the theme of Jesus’ further conversations with Moses and Elijah, who appear on the mountain (“Moses and Elijah appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” - Lk 9:31). Jesus had spoken to his disciples about eight days earlier about his exodus. And he continues to do so with Elijah and Moses.
They are the two figures of salvation history who both lived on the heights of the mountains, and both experienced their own personal exodus, an exodus that led them to a personal experience, an encounter with God. Now they are witnesses of Jesus’ exodus, which will soon be fulfilled (Lk 9:31).
It is not the same for the disciples. They do not talk to Jesus about his exodus, but on the contrary, every time Jesus talks to them about it again, they understand less and less. On the mountain, the disciples are actually troubled by sleep (“Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep” - Lk 9:32).
Sleep is also a recurring biblical element. When God reveals himself, man struggles to stand before the splendor of his glory and often sleeps. Adam sleeps when God creates the woman (Gen. 2:21). Abraham sleeps when the Lord makes a covenant with him (Gen. 15:12). They sleep because God’s actions remain a mystery and man cannot see them in their fullness.
The important thing, however, is not to remain there, on this mountain, in this sleep. Peter would like to build three huts and stay there, but he does not know what he is saying (“Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” - Luke 9:33).
The Bible clearly states that it is not possible to see God face to face. He is not known face to face, but from behind, on the way, when he has opened the way (“you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.” - Ex 33:23). Therefore, you cannot stand still on the mountain and sleep. You have to go down and follow him on his own path.
It is possible to know him, to see him, to be clothed in his own light of glory, provided we follow him wherever he goes, follow him in his exodus, just as Jesus discussed with his disciples some eight days earlier.
When he told them that anyone who wants to follow him must take up his cross and follow him (“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” - Luke 9,23).
+ Pierbattista
