Homilies

The transfiguration by Deacon Des Connors Dear Friends, The Gospel reading for today recounts the Transfiguration of Jesus. The primary purpose of Jesus’ Transfiguration was to allow him to consult his Heavenly Father and ascertain His plan for His Son’s suffering, death, and Resurrection. This was the precursor for Jesus to make his way to Jerusalem to meet his destiny, the cross, and his vindication. God’s secondary aim was to make Jesus’ chosen disciples aware of Jesus’ Divine glory so that they might discard their worldly ambitions and dreams of a conquering political Messiah and might be strengthened in their time of trial.

Jesus was tempted by Satan Dear Friends, Lent is a time of repentance and renewal. Lent also commemorates the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness in preparation for his public ministry. Forty days of fasting and prayer, culminating in the temptation of Christ which is recalled in today’s Gospel. This event in the life of Jesus is reported in each of the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—but it is not found in John’s Gospel.