Jesus is ready to transform our lives. Today’s reflection reminds us that, like the disciples present at the Transfiguration, we, too, catch glimpses of God’s glory that can strengthen us on our journey.

March 16, 2025: Second Sunday of Lent, Year C
Genesis 15:5–12, 17–18
Psalm 27:1, 7–9, 13–14.
Philippians 3:17–4:1
Luke 9:28b–36

An Illumined Path: Glimpses of Glory

A reflection by Ann Penick

Do you like to travel? With whom do you like to travel? Imagine what it was like for the disciples to travel with Jesus; think of what they saw and experienced! Water turned into wine. Disabled and sick people healed. People raised from the dead. Jesus walking on water and calming a storm. 5,000 people fed with five loaves and two fish.

The Gospel reading from Luke today speaks of the Transfiguration and tells us about three of Jesus’ disciples taking a trip with him up a mountain. This journey proved to be one they probably never anticipated and would certainly never forget. The Transfiguration represents God’s promise and its fulfillment in Christ!

Peter, James, and John journeyed with Jesus up to a mountain to pray. As Jesus was praying, his face was transformed and shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzlingly bright.  Think about what it is like to look directly into the sun—that may give you some idea of just how bright Jesus became and what this must have been like for these three disciples.

Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking to Jesus. This must have blown Peter, James, and John away! As Moses and Elijah started to leave, Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, how good it is for us to be here! Let us set up three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah” (Lk. 9:33). Peter caught a glimpse of Christ’s glory and the fulfillment of God’s promise—no wonder he wished to remain on the mountaintop!

Suddenly, a cloud descended and covered them. If you have experienced a dense fog, you can relate to how Peter, James, and John must have felt when this happened. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This one is my Own, my Chosen One. Listen to him” (9:35). When the voice had spoken, Moses and Elijah were gone and the disciples were once again alone with Jesus on the mountain.  How would you begin to process such an experience? I’m sure that at first, the three disciples did not know what to think. They saw the bounty of God on the mountaintop. They witnessed the dazzling glory of Jesus in the company of Moses and Elijah. This was the glory of the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets.

The disciples didn’t yet have any idea how their lives were transformed in that moment. It was a moment of grace and closeness to God that they had not experienced before, and there would be much more to come. Jesus’ Transfiguration served to strengthen the faith of Peter, James, and John and to sustain them through the events of Christ’s suffering and death.

Jesus is ready to transform our lives, as well. We, too, are given opportunities in our everyday lives to see Jesus’ power and glory revealed in the people and in the world around us. These special moments of grace and closeness to God give us strength to follow Christ anywhere. We become light, touching the lives of others and making an impact on the world around us.

The road between Abraham’s encounter with God in the first reading from Genesis to the Gospel of Luke with the disciples’ encounter with God was a long one. For us, Lent is an acting out of the long road between the Covenant and its fulfillment. It is our public proclamation that we are a people awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ. We recognize that our citizenship is in heaven, but in the present, we participate in our earthly lives as we work for the coming of the Realm of God.

Lent is about repentance, forgiveness, mercy, and self-renewal. Set aside any total self-reliance, any thirst for power and wealth, and any preoccupation with self-interest and retribution. Pray to be renewed and reformed. Pray you will encounter God in such a way that you are invited to change and say “Yes” to that change. Pray to God to help us all work with all people to build a more humane, equitable, and just world.

We experience glimpses of glory. It might be in a remarkably beautiful sunset. It might be in a stunning mountain range. Maybe it is in the face of a delighted child or in the absolute joy in a moment with your favorite people. Like the Transfiguration, these glimpses of glory encourage and strengthen us to continue on the faith journey life toward eternal glory.

Ann Penick is originally from the Chicago area. She now lives in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Ann was ordained a priest with Roman Catholic Womenpriests in 2011. Ann has been serving the faith communities of Dignity Washington and Northern Virginia Dignity as one of their presiders since 2017. She also served on the board of DignityUSA. In addition she has been pastoring a faith community of young families in Washington D.C. since 2013.