Jesus is the perfect model of the life of prayer.  He always walks in the presence of God, listens to him and obeys him to death.

Last Sunday, Luke showed us Jesus as the model, to follow in times of testing.  Today, he teaches us that our model in all our actions (SV.EN XI:201) is so in our prayers, specifically.

As Jesus prays, his face changes in appearance and his clothing turns dazzling white.  All of a sudden, Moses and Elijah, who appear in glory, talk to him.  They speak of the exodus he will carry out in Jerusalem.  So, then, he is our model as we pray, which will make for our change, our transformation. 

And our model as we pray and change always walks in the presence of God, listens to him and obeys him.  Of course, he does so better than Moses and Elijah.  For he is the Son of God, his Chosen One, his Suffering Servant, his last Word.

Hence, for us to pray, change and be transformed cannot but mean that, first, we have to listen to Jesus.  We have to follow him, too, go with him to Jerusalem, so as to go up to the cross.  And we will thus go into the cloud.  No doubt, the cloud will frighten us.  Yet it is the only way we can witness the greatest manifestation of God as love.

And we shall change, indeed, go through a transformation, only if we get to love to death.  As Jesus does.  For he gives his body up and shed his blood for us.  Yes, the cross will change us in such a way that we will adopt the way God thinks and acts.  But this means we must be friends, not enemies, of the cross.

Lord Jesus, make us take you for our model as we pray.  And grant us to be in the group of men and women of prayer who can do all things (SV.EN XI:76).  We will thus know what we say.  That is is to say, it will be clear to us that it is not about making three tents on the mountain.  It is about coming down from the mountain with you to care for those who are poor.

16 March 2025
Second Sunday of Lent (C)
Gen 15, 5-12. 17-18; Phil 3, 17 – 4, 1; Lk 9, 28b-36