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March 17, 2025It’s a great joy for the Bishop to meet the faithful of the Apostolic Vicariate for the pastoral visit. Why does the Bishop want to meet you? The Bishop comes first of all, to confirm you in the Christian faith that the Apostles have passed on to us. We are all part of a great story that began with the encounter of Jesus with the first disciples at the banks of river Jordan which has reached down to us.
Secondly, the Bishop is among you, as the successor of the Apostles, as a humble sign of unity among all the faithful. Jesus is the good shepherd and the Bishop is here to celebrate the presence of Christ that unites us all, because we have the same faith, we have received the same baptism, we have received the same spirit we are animated by the same hope and we all have the same father in heaven and therefore we are all children of God, brothers and sisters among us. We are so different, in nationality, culture, language and rite. But only in the unity we form the one mystical body of Christ, called to bear witness in this society through the life of the Gospel.
This a very particular time in the Church. We are in the Jubilee of the Lord 2025, in which we reflect the theme of hope: we are called to be pilgrims of hope. And being migrants, we know well that everything is transitory and passes away. Only the love of God remains. As migrants and pilgrims, we are called to be rooted in our hope in Christ. The liturgical season of Lent invites us to the path of purification from idols and false hopes, to be children of God.
The word of God that we heard gives us great reasons for hope. The first reading from book of Genesis speaks of Abraham, our father of faith. He was chosen by God to generate a new people that belongs to the Lord and from which Jesus, the savior of the whole world, will be born. Although he is an elderly man, Abraham entrusts himself to the word of God and to his promise and begins his holy journey. Abraham placed his hope in God.
The Gospel leads us to the core of Jesus' mission. He is now on his way to Jerusalem where he will have to face the rejection of the leaders of the people and give his life for us on the cross. Before this happens, the transfiguration takes place in the presence of his closest disciples: Peter, John and James.
The transfiguration occurs within the experience of intimate prayer with the Father. This is also important for us: it makes us understand the importance of faithful prayer in our lives. Prayer transfigures life. "As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed, and his clothing became brilliant as lightning". Precisely in view of the mystery of the cross, Jesus anticipates the glory of the resurrection. In this way Jesus supports the faith of his disciples before the great test.
In this luminous manifestation, Moses and Elijah appear alongside Jesus. Moses is the symbol of God's Covenant with His people, he is the man of the law. Jesus is the new Moses who will fulfill the new and eternal covenant; he gives us the new law of love. Elijah is the great prophet who fights idols. Jesus is the fulfillment of all prophecies; he has freed us from the idols of money, success, career, power over others.
Dear faithful, in this Lenten journey, we too are called to participate in the transfiguration of the Lord. We are called to transfigure ourselves so that on our faces too the glory of God may shine. The story of the transfiguration ends with the voice of God the Father who says: ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’ The time of Lent is the time of prayer and listening to Jesus, to his word.
In the second reading, Saint Paul invites us to transfiguration, that is, to let ourselves be transformed by the encounter with Christ and by the communion experienced among all the faithful. The Church thus divides the place of transfiguration, where our life is called to change. It is the invitation to personal and community conversion.
The Transfiguration is a very beautiful reality because it tells us that we must not escape from reality or the toils of our daily life but rather experience that everything we are and live is called to be illuminated by the light of Christ. We must not escape from reality but let the grace of God transform us into the image of Christ, the beloved son. This evangelical vision invites us to renew the life of our communities and the parish, to be places where our humanity is transformed through the grace of God, mercy, forgiveness and mutual love.
As migrants and pilgrims of hope we continue our journey towards Easter. May Mary Mother of Hope protect us and keep us always united to Jesus and to each other.