The Pope Talks on his retreat, the Transfiguration, and Lebanon during his Sunday Angelus

A very good and thought provoking Angelus today. Thanks again for translation from the Ratzinger forum.

Yesterday, we concluded here at the Apostolic Palace the spiritual exercises in which, every year, the Pope and his co-workers in the Roman Curia come together in prayer and meditation.

I thank all who have been with us spiritually. May the Lord reward them for their generosity. Today, the second Sunday of Lent, following the penitential journey, the liturgy, after having presented to us last Sunday the Gospel on the temptation of Jesus in the desert, now invites us to reflect on the extraordinary event of his Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. Taken together, both events anticipate the Paschal mystery: the struggle of Jesus with the Tempter is a prelude to the great final duel of the Passion, while the light of his transfigured Body anticipates the glory of his Resurrection.

On the one hand, we see Jesus as full man, who shares with us even (the risk of) temptation. On the other hand, we see him as the Son of God, who divinizes our humanity. We can say that these two Sundays function as pillars on which the entire edifice of Lent rests, and therefore, the entire structure of Christian life which consists essentially of the Easter dynamic of death to life.

The mountain - Tabor as well as Sinai - is the place of closeness to God. It is elevated space, compared to daily existence, in which to breathe the pure air of creation. It is the place of prayer, to be in the presence of the Lord, like Moses and like Elijah, who appear next to Jesus transfigured and speak to him of the 'exodus' which awaits him in Jerusalem, that is, his Pasch. [Pasch is the English form of Pesach, the Hebrew term for Passover, the feast celebrated annually at God’s command to commemorate the Israelite exodus from Egypt to the promised land of Canaan.]

The Transfiguration is an event of prayer: In praying, Jesus immersed himself in God, uniting himself intimately with him, adhering his own will to the Father's will of love, and thus, light pervades him, and the truth of his being becomes visible: He is God, Light of lights. Even Jesus's garments become brilliantly white. This makes us think of Baptism and the white vestments worn by neophytes. Whoever is reborn in Baptism becomes clothed in the light that anticipates heavenly existence, represented in the Apocalypse by white garments (cfr Ap 7,9.13).

Here is the crucial point: the Transfiguration is an anticipation of the Resurrection, but this presupposes death. Jesus manifests his glory to the Apostles so that they may have the strength to face the scandal of the Cross, and that they may understand it is necessary to go through many tribulations in order to reach the Kingdom of God. The voice of the Father, which resounds from on high, proclaims Jesus as his beloved Son, just as it did at the Baptism in the Jordan, adding: "Listen to him" (Mt 17,5).

To enter into eternal life, we need to listen to Jesus, follow him on the way of the Cross, carrying in our hearts like him the hope of the Resurrection. 'Spe salvi', saved in hope. Today we can also say, 'transfigured in hope'. Turning ourselves now in prayer to Mary, we recognize in her the human creature interiorly transformed by the grace of Christ, and we entrust ourselves to her guidance in following, with faith and generosity, the itinerary of Lent.

After the Angelus prayers, the Pope made a special appeal:

I follow with much concern the persistent manifestations of tension in Lebanon. For almost three months, the nation has not succeeded to elect a new head of State. The efforts to settle the crisis and the support offered by high-ranking representatives of the international community, even if these have not yet produced a result, demonstrate the intention to choose a President who will be recognized as such by all Lebanese and lay the bases to overcome existing national divisions.

Unfortunately, there is no lack of reasons to be concerned, especially because of unusual verbal violence or because of those who actually put their trust in the force of arms and the physical elimination of their adversaries. Together with the Maronite Patriarch and all the Lebanese bishops, I ask you to join my prayer to Our Lady of Lebanon that she may encourage the citizens of that dear nation, particularly its politicians, to work tenaciously for reconciliation, for a truly sincere dialog, for peaceful coexistence and the good of a nation that they must all feel deeply as their common fatherland.

In English he said:

I greet all the English-speaking visitors present at today’s Angelus, especially the group of pilgrims from Saint Ansgar’s Cathedral in Copenhagen. I pray that your visit to Rome may strengthen your faith and deepen your love for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear how Jesus was transfigured in the presence of his three closest followers, Peter, James and John. They were granted a glimpse of Christ in glory, and they heard the voice of the Father urging them to listen to his beloved Son. As we continue our Lenten journey, we renew our resolve to listen attentively to the Son of God, and we draw comfort and hope from the revelation of his glory. Upon all of you here today, and upon your families and loved ones at home, I invoke God’s abundant blessings.