TRANSFIGURATION MADE EASY


 Sunday, March 5, 2023

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (A)

First Reading. Genesis 12: 1-4
Psalm. 33: 4-5, 18-20 and 22 (R. 22)
Second Reading.  2 Timothy 1: 8-10
Gospel. Matthew 17: 1-9

TOPIC FOR REFLECTION 

FROM TRANSFORMATION TO TRANSFIGURATION 

CAN WE BE TRANSFIGURED WITH THE LORD? YES, WE CAN.

What affects the head, affects the whole body. 

In a family where the father of the house is sick, automatically, the entire family is sick, because a loving father who is sick will become the concern of the whole family. 

In a family where the father as the head of the house is not responsible, corrupts, and promotes injustice among his wife(s) and children, such a family can not and will never be upright. 

Therefore, we are blessed today because our father in faith, Abram was blessed by the Lord, and he became a channel of blessings to us all. 

Now, coming to society... 

It seems the only voices the people in our society listened to are as follows... 

The voice of MONEY which leads to destruction. 

The voice of  GREED leads to destruction. 

The voice of MATERIALISM which leads to destruction 

The voice of POWER TUSSLE leads to destruction. 

The voice of BRIBERY and CORRUPTION leads to destruction. 

All of these voices are embedded in the voice of PRIDE. Still, the voice of Pride is the voice of the world, while the voice of Humility is a Divine voice. 

Meanwhile, the voice of PRIDE which is the voice of FAILURE blinds the GREEDY CORRUPT persons not to see the sufferings of the poor masses and makes them deaf to hear their cries. 

However, the voice of HUMILITY which is the voice of GOD calling on all of us is not being heeded. 

The voice of God is the voice of... 

1. Obedient. 

2. Simplicity. 

3. Generosity 

4. Humility 

5. sacrificial Love

So, to survive in life, and to be with God after our stay here on earth, the best is to obey the voice of God in His people than to obey the voice of money which destroys God's people.

The first reading made it clear that Abram heard the voice of God, and he obeyed it. Today, we are beneficiaries of Abram's obedience. Quoting from the passage, the Lord told Abram: 

"I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse, and by you, all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.” 

More so, today we sing, Abraham's blessings are mine, but if Abram did not obey the voice of God, how could we have benefited from his blessings? 

Always remember that corrupt money corrupts the soul, let us be careful. The voice of God is blessings without corruption. 

1 Samuel. 15: 22 "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice"

So, obedience to the voice of God is the beginning of transformation which will enable one to become transfigured. 

Now listen, anybody who listens to the voice of God shall experience the shift from a sinful state to a divine state; invariably, the person's experience will be as follows... 

1. Transformation: The change in attitudes and character, from being bad to good, for being sinful to commence striving for holiness. 

2. Transfiguration: The experience of the transformation would lead to becoming a transfigured person. It means to transform from an outward rough life to a more decent life which reflects in the appearance of the converted person into a different state of life. 

3. For instance, for a prayerful person's life to become a prayer for others. For people to no longer see the person, but God in such a person. 

Still, all these processes of transformation into transfiguration can only be achieved if our center focus is sacrificial love. 

In summary, the voice of the world attracts curses and destruction, while the voice of God not only attracts blessings but also extends the blessings of God to all and sundry. 

Abram loves God, and his love for God becomes a sacrificial love for us all. Hence, we too should become a sacrificial love for one another. 

These good actions will bring about transformation which will lead to transfiguration. 

Finally, I encourage you to say

-----I must be transfigured

-----You must be transfigured

-----Nigeria must be transfigured 

-----Africa must be transfigured

-----The world must be transfigured

Peace ✌️ be with you.

Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.

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