Tono’s column
By Fr. Toño Parra Segura
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Lent advances and hopefully our preparation will be effective and practical for the signaling of the Paschal Mystery. Let’s not leave everything for the last hour full of processions, Stations of the Cross and prayers that only last a few days.
The Liturgy of our Church is rich, and based on the Bible.
Eight days ago, the scene in which Jesus appeared, preparing for his mission, was one of austerity, silence, retirement and temptation, surrounded by “wild animals and angels who served him”.
Today the contrast is marvelous: to a high mountain, according to tradition “Mount Tabor”, he takes the favorite trio of his apostolic team, Peter, James and John, transfigures himself before them and makes them see the scene in white with two new characters for them, Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus. Faced with the spectacular, we always feel attracted to stay and enjoy the new. That was Pedro’s expression: let’s stay here; seeing you full of light, at peace, without problems and on high. But what was essential was missing: the confirmation of the divinity of Christ with the words of the Father: “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.”
The protagonist, of course, is Jesus, always united with his Father with whom he communicated in prayer in the most momentous moments of his mission.
The “kerigma”, the good news, was heard by his apostles so that they would be sure that they were not following just any leader, but rather the Son of God, the Messiah.
The order is peremptory: “Listen to him.”
Deep the meaning of this fourth luminous mystery, in good time placed by John Paul II in the Marian rosary. Hopefully when we state it we repeat the text of Saint Matthew 17, 1-9.
Importance of the guests on the mountain: Moses, figure of the ancient Law and Elijah, famous prophet, victor of all the false soothsayers of Baal; Peter, stone of the future Church of him and the faithful sons of Zebedee: James and John.
A wonderful summary of the plan of salvation and the continuation of the mission entrusted, because his Church, unique, had to be perpetuated through the Word but with human elements chosen by Jesus.
Then, not only the clothes of Jesus are changed, but also the law, the prophecy and the attitudes in the mission. She does not look for Jesus and does not fall into the devil’s temptation to climb the mountain to be applauded; otherwise he seriously forbids them, once the vision is over, to tell anyone about it. Jesu s’ way of mission is to prepare his apostles, get close to them, give them energy and courage for what was to follow in passion. Now that Peter who always dissuaded him from going to Jerusalem feels cowardly and does not want to come down from the mountain, from the sublime, to accompany his Master in passion. Jesus once said to this same Peter: “Get behind me, Satan, because you think like men, not like God.”
The word of the Father culminates this extraordinary scene and remains a compulsory exercise for all: we must listen to Jesus, in his word and in his Church. The Word arrives because there is a Mission, Paul says it when he talks about the faith that enters through the ear, but that has to have someone to preach it, who sends it and who listens. Do we want to transfigure ourselves? Don’t let the massive concentrations call our attention so much, nor the magic of modern miracle workers. The procession goes inside according to popular wisdom. The Word changes us, encourages us, drives us to be the new men, clothed with grace with the “Step” of the Lord for our life at Easter.