The Gospel
March 1, 2026
2nd Sunday of Lent
Matthew 17:1-9
When I sit down to answer emails or write a Gospel reflection or return a phone call, I sometimes wonder: Does any of this humdrum work matter? Maybe you ask the same thing about your daily labor. Today’s Gospel, the Transfiguration, offers a surprising answer.
Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a mountain. There, “his face shone like the sun face and his clothes become white as light” (Matthew 17:2). That detail regarding his clothes is worth considering.
We know Jesus’ body is inseparably united to the divine nature. But his clothing? That’s something made by human hands. It’s an artifact. And yet it shines with the same uncreated light. What does this detail mean? The early Church noted that Adam and Eve’s first act after the Fall was to make clothing. This clothing symbolizes all human labor that supports our dignity. In Jesus’ glorified garments, we see not just the redemption of our body, but of human effort to protect and uplift human dignity.
Parents, your family is your work. Baristas, plumbers, nurses, accountants — your labor, your emails, your phone calls, your spreadsheets — can all become radiant when offered to God in love. The question isn’t just do I believe in Jesus’ glory, but do I believe he can share it with the work of my hands?
Lenten Challenge: Identify the “artifact” you are making to uplift the dignity of others: your job, your home, your relationships. Consciously bring it to the Lord this Sunday at Mass. Offer it to share in His glory. It will begin to shine.
— Father John Muir
©LPi