WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE? JESUS CHRIST – VALENTINE'S DAY 2016 JESUS and YOU

GOSPEL OF LUKE 9:28-36 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT The Context of this passage: Jesus has just received the disciples back after their first mission as his disciples. Herod has stated his opinion of Jesus and Jesus then fed the 5,000 for the first time…. Following the feeding, Jesus then takes Peter and the other disciples up to Cesarea Philipae where He asks them: “Who do you say that I am?” St. Peter replies: “You are the Messiah of the Living God!”

GOSPEL OF LUKE 9:28-36 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Jesus is Transfigured on the Mount: Gospel LK 9:28B-36LK 9:28B-36 Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

GOSPEL OF LUKE 9:28-36 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Jesus is Transfigured on the Mount: Question 1: What struck your Heart? How did God speak to you in this passage? What did you see in these words or this story? What bothered you? And what are you curious about?

GOSPEL OF LUKE 9:28-36 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Jesus is Transfigured on the Mount: Question 2: What do you think it would have been like to be on the Mountain that day as Jesus was transfigured before their eyes? Answer: You might need to explain that transfiguration means Jesus’s dual nature (he is both God & Man) is fully revealed in all its glory…they could see Him as He will be seen in heaven. You might have to explain to them that while His divinity is fully revealed they also could not deny His humanity. In this moment Jesus didn’t become God, He was always God. In this moment Jesus didn’t cease being fully human, His humanity is completely integrated and united to his Divinity: - Anyway that Jesus does not become like us, He is not able to saved in us -Jesus is God, but fully human…so He experienced everything just like we do as humans…only chose not to sin!

GOSPEL OF LUKE 9:28-36 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Jesus is Transfigured on the Mount: Question 3: What was Peter’s reaction and why do you think he reacted this way? Answer: Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” They may have various responses and insights which you should encourage. This response of Peter is echoing the encounter of Abraham with the “three angel” which represented God…whom he invited into his tent and dined with them. Peter, wanted to extend this powerful experience of encounter and joy.

GOSPEL OF LUKE 9:28-36 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Jesus is Transfigured on the Mount: Question 4: Peter had just declared in the previous passage that Jesus was the “Messiah of the living God.” What do you think was going through Peter’s mind now about Jesus? Is Jesus who he thought? Answer: Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the “Messiah of God” is not the same as saying he is God. It is true that in the Gospel of Matthew 16 (the same story) Peter says, “Son of God.” But in reality this was for the Jewish mind in that time simply to say that he is a dependent of Adam…not a declaration of his divinity. The transfiguration go well beyond the messianic prophesies or at least what they would have expected. Jesus is revealed here as God, not just Son in the sense of He is holy and a descendent of Adam…Jesus is God in the flesh!

GOSPEL OF LUKE 9:28-36 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Jesus is Transfigured on the Mount: Question 5: Peter and you have now seen that the Divinity of Jesus established in his transfiguration. So now we must consider the question: Why was Jesus visited and encouraged by the prophets Elijah and Moses? Answer: Jesus is fully God yet He is fully man as well. In his divinity He knows that He must come to the crucifixion and die for the sins of humanity, but in His humanity this is no easy task. Elijah was a prophet who was rejected but then assumed into heaven, Moses had to lead his people through the desert but then never entered the promised land of Israel. They above any other prophets could encourage Jesus in his humanity…not that they gave him advice…but like Mary at the foot of the cross, they were a powerful source of comfort in his human nature.

GOSPEL OF LUKE 9:28-36 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Jesus is Transfigured on the Mount: Question 6: How did this Gospel Contemplation change your mindset about Jesus? How did this change your mindset about Jesus in you and you yourself? What fruit, wisdom, consolation, can you draw from this consideration of his transfiguration? Answer: The wisdom of the Church’s liturgy seems to be emphasizing the dual nature of Jesus. On one hand we need to understand in ourselves that because of our baptism we are sharers in the Divine Nature…God is in us, He is in you! But not in some theoretical sense, God and your soul are one, when God looks to you He literally sees Jesus. This is the new mindset that we are invited to take, and it doesn't mean we need no encouragement, but rather we now can actually be encourage…because our courage is within us: God!

TAKEAWAY: RELIANCE ON JESUS IS MY TRUE ENCOURAGEMENT BECAUSE HE IS IN ME! Lent 2016 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

“BEHOLD! YOU MY FRIEND, YOU AND I ARE ONE…ONE MIND, ONE SOUL, ONE HEART, ONE WILL!” JESUS CHRIST - LENT 2016