Pope Francis and the Season of Lent 2023

Pope Francis provides the whole Catholic Church a message that will provide the faithful a focus and a reflection for the celebration of Lent 2023. He provided us his reflection on the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor. There is a seven-fold reminder of the event on Mount Tabor to help us celebrate the Lenten season with meaning and joy.

First, the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor was to make His disciples understand and know His true identity. The tangible event of the Transfiguration was a response to the failure of the Apostles to identify the Lord. Peter was unable to grasp Jesus prediction of the passion that prompted to the Lord to say: "Get behind me Satan; you are a scandal to me..."

Second, the transfiguration of Jesus is an invitation towards spiritual discipline. Pope Francis encourages us to stay away from our comfort zones for a while and proceed to a life of discipline and sacrifice. He said: "While our ordinary commitments compel us to remain in our usual places and our often repetitive and sometimes boring routines, during Lent we are invited to ascend “a high mountain” in the company of Jesus and to live a particular experience of spiritual discipline – ascesis – as God’s holy people."

Third, the transfiguration of the Lord encourages us to make a journey. This journey is characterized with an experience of Christ. We were told that Jesus brought Peter, James, and John and were led by Him to Mount Tabor. We need to be brought by Jesus wherever He wants us to be. Pope Francis said: "To deepen our knowledge of the Master, to fully understand and embrace the mystery of his salvation, accomplished in total self-giving inspired by love, we must allow ourselves to be taken aside by him and to detach ourselves from mediocrity and vanity."

Fourth, the transfiguration of the Lord was a way by Jesus to make witnesses of Himself. Pope Francis remarked saying: " He wants that experience of grace to be shared, not solitary, just as our whole life of faith is an experience that is shared. For it is in togetherness that we follow Jesus."

Fifth, the transfiguration of the Lord was an event to reveal the summit of our earthly journey. Jesus should be the goal and the destiny of humankind. Pope Francis said: "at the end of their ascent, as they stand on the mountain heights with Jesus, the three disciples are given the grace of seeing him in his glory, resplendent in supernatural light."

Sixth, the transfiguration of the Lord reminds us that there is always newness in Jesus. The three disciples of Jesus experienced newness in the sense of a deeper meaning by being with Jesus. The newness of the identity of Jesus provided them new paths of mission after they saw the uniqueness of Christ. Pope Francis said: "the newness of Christ is at the same time the fulfilment of the ancient covenant and promises; it is inseparable from God’s history with his people and discloses its deeper meaning."

Seventh, the transfiguration of the Lord was listening to the command of the Father which is to listen to His Son. As the disciples were afraid on the mountain, Jesus touched them that they may be secured and protected. The event of the transfiguration reminds us to be touched by God. Pope Francis said: "On hearing the Father’s voice, the disciples “fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and do not be afraid.’ And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone” (Mt 17:6-8).