Abraham can't make sense of God's promise of numerous descendants. God gives Him a different perspective by offering him the view of the numberless stars in the sky as a metaphor, and then Abraham believes God, an act of faith.
God then makes a solemn covenant. In the custom of covenants of that day, God holds Himself to the penalty of breaking the covenant by passing through the pieces of the diced animal carcasses in the form of fire.
As God offers Abraham reassurance, so He offers it to the three apostles by giving a glimpse of His Heavenly glory in His transfiguration on the mountain. He connects His glory with His preceding Passion, which He discusses with Moses and Elijah.
Indeed, He displays Himself as the Savior, and so God's voice commands the apostles to "listen to Him", the beloved Son.
We can count on God. So as we journey toward His glory, let's listen to Him, so that we can be transformed and take on a new perspective that brings new purpose to Life. Because of the Paschal Mystery, we are bound for glory, and, as St. Paul writes, "our citizenship is in Heaven". May Lent be an opportunity for us to experience the transformation by which we focus on gaze on Heaven, so that, in the midst of whatever we face in life, difficulties included, we can live with purpose.
It was so fitting that I attended a Confirmation Mass this weekend, which included 5 of my RE students. It was a glorious picture of encountering God's presence in a powerful way, and a great reminder of how God is at work all the time as we open ourselves to seeing His work.
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