It is 21st February 2016. The readings are from Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Philippians 3:17-4:1; and the Gospel from Luke 9:28-36. During this second week of the Lent, we are invited to experience the glory of Jesus by ascending above the challenges of our lives. Some of us are indeed going through something challenging moments and we become weak, under motivated and spiritually tired. It all happens in the journey of faith. The first reading reminds us through Abram that without any surety, he embarked on a journey totally relying on God. God’s promises change the lives of Abram. God transforms everything through His words. In the second reading, St. Paul criticizes the Christians telling that they do not live up to the model of Christ; and they prioritized their desires over the needs of the others. A new kind of transfiguration from selfishness to self-sacrifice within everyone who believes in the Lord. True glory is to meet Christ in the poor through the works of mercy. “Jesus will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” (Phil.3:21). The responsorial Psalm praises, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” (Ps.27:1). The Gospel presents the Transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus reveals himself as divine. The mountain experience brings out the divinity of Jesus. The helplessness at the mountain of Golgotha is the humanity of Jesus. In order to transform or to transfigure, we need to rise above the desires of the flesh. Our transformation is to experience God so that we are recognised by God as the most special person. “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to Him.” (Lk.9:35). Having listened to Jesus, we must be prepared to listen to the cry of the humanity. We must make every effort to come down from the mountain of glory to share it with others and make them feel so special through our services of mercy. We all are entitled to experience this transformation only through our faith and service to the humanity. May you have this peak experience of meeting Christ in the poor.

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