We may begin by taking a leap from domestic experience. Two out of five children may begin to be afraid upon hearing that their loving mother, who had gone shopping has returned. But she came with provisions; so, why the fear? More so, you were playing all along in her absence! Why the mood swing with her presence? Very often, the more common reason is that the duo children unlike the other trio have been unfaithful to the assignment given them by mother. As such, mother’s arrival even with the goodies it brings will altogether be unfavourable to and for them from all fronts. St. Paul in today’s second reading encouraged that we beware of the enemies of the cross of Christ.
The God-became man, in the immediate episode that is prior to His transfiguration, which today’s Gospel narrates had enumerated the condition for discipleship – Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me (Luke 9:21-24). Even as he manifested a glimpse of his glory in the Gospel (transfiguration); the centrality of the cross is underscored within the context of the discussion he had with Moses (representing the law) and Elijah (representing the prophets)- who were conversing with him about how he would fulfill the will of the Lord for the suffering servant of Yahweh, in correspondence with the law and prophecies of the old covenant.
This is what was meant by the expression; ‘His exodus to Jerusalem’. Indeed, there no gain in saying that he was radically faithful all the way. In very simple cum figurative words therefore, the cross is simply will of God for us through which he purges us, sanctifies us and saves us as well as others (vicarious or substitutionary atonement). Similarly, it is the means by which we demonstrate a total obedience of faith in, and love for God. In this regard, we may theologically infer from scripture that, Abraham’s cross was God’s call that he abandons everything and follow Him. It is like moving from the known to the mysterious (unknown). It was indeed a journey of blind faith with no other assurance than His confidence in the providence of the God who called Him.
This was God’s will/cross for Him through which God intended to bless, sanctify and enter into covenant with Him and his offspring. Importing from the teachings of the Catholic catechism as well as theologians like St. Thomas Aquinas, we understand that there is an ultimate purpose for creation and for any intentional action. Similarly, the end of this covenant of God with Abraham is the divinisation of humanity (salvation) by way of the cross of Christ. The pass which made Abraham worthy of this covenant was that he “believed “.
The Hebrew word, ‘aman, which entails believe, was culturally & historically used by the Jews in the context of solidifying personal and communal relationships especially within the frame of the covenant between God and his people; wherein the word symbolised the other party’s total readiness and commitment of faith and trust in God’s command and promises.
This was Abraham’s life-long response to God’s summons- “a confident obedience”, “a continuous yes” in entering into the depth of God’s mysterious will (cross) for Him wherever it led him to and whatever it demanded from Him- little wonder, He is called our father in faith. It is in this light that we ought to understand Paul’s continuous confidence as he did today, in inviting his audience to imitate him; it was usually in the context of his steadfast fidelity to the mystery of Christ’s will (the cross) that he dared present himself as a model. Confer Gal 6:14, 1 Cor. 15:31, 2nd cor. 1:12, 2nd Thess. 1:3-5, Phil. 2:14-18, etc. Hence, we learn from all of these faithful witnesses that a Christian can rightly be prudently confident if and only if He/She is faithful to the way of the cross.
Practical Points For Daily Living
Reasons for Fear: If it were revealed to you and I that our death is in a couple of minutes, perhaps we would be startled and unsettled. But it ought to be an anticipated joyous news; ‘the return of the Lord with eternal goodies’. Could it be because we haven’t being faithful to the way of the cross which is the pathway to glory like those two children as cited in the introductory analogy or like those nominal Christians Paul warned us of in the second reading, perhaps we have gotten entangled in the web of sin and pleasure that our souls have now found solace in this transitory world. Take out time to go inward and examine today the cause of your fear, uncertainties and unreadiness to meet the lord and enter into his glory whether in the temporal Easter or in the eternal heavenly Easter of all the elect.
Beware of hypocritical guides: Even in the context of his transfiguration, the importance of the cross is emphasised. The truth is that there is no Christianity without the cross. This is why Paul warned that we beware of those whose lives stand in contrast to the cross (enemies of the cross). In a world wherein many claim to be evangelists, demonstrating signs & wonders; where not a few confidently pose through the various media, their personal opinions in the guise of the Word of God, we must test all spirits as scripture says (1 John 4:1). If those words, deeds and manifestations do not stem from, lead to or end in the mystery of the cross of Christ, then we are in the wrong place. Do not trust the process even as confident as it appears. The cross is always our canon (standard) and this is an eternal truth for Jesus is eternally the same (Heb. 13:7-9).
The Way Forward
Joseph Ratzinger had aptly noted that holiness does not consist in not having sinned but in our continuous capacity for conversion. Thus, as we advance into this desert experience with the lord, let us seize this season of lent to renew our purpose, examine our consciences and reinforce our focus while we still can so that our entire life and activities; deeds, words, the values we either adopt or put aside, our struggles, strengths, feats, joys, pain and even our prudent boasts would all revolve around and participate ultimately in the mystery of the cross.
Humility, confession and repentance is necessary in helping us retrace our steps back to God’s will/cross God for us whatever it be, while a sustained prayer life is indispensable in helping us strongly press forward in fidelity to the same wherever it leads us, just as it did to Jesus. In this regard, we would as the psalm says have made the lord our light & salvation and we can therefore be confident that even if he wills that today is our very last, we would be happy and ready for our eternal divinisation in the eternal Easter.
• Rev. Fr. Stephen Chukwunonso Momah is the Associate Parish Priest, St. Andrew Catholic Church, Kweme Sea-Beach, Badagry, Lagos.
