High on the mountain, the three disciples witness a dazzling sight as Jesus was transfigured before their eyes, his face as bright as the sun and his clothes as radiant as light. In the middle of this vision, they hear God’s voice telling them to listen to “my beloved Son on whom my favor rests.”

The opening prayer focuses our attention on this part of the story: “God our Father, help us to hear your Son.” The verse before the Gospel does the same: “From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard: this is my beloved Son; hear him.”

Lent is a time to listen to Jesus, “who calls us to repentance and a change of heart.” It is a time to reflect on God’s Word about loving our enemies and being peacemakers, about proclaiming liberty to captives and letting the oppressed go free, about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, about being perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect.

It is a time to be quiet and listen to the God “who has saved us and has called us to a holy life.” It is a time to become a “great nation” through whom “all the communities of the earth shall find blessing.”

Jesus perfected revelation by fulfilling it through his whole work of making himself present and manifesting himself: through his words and deeds, his signs and wonders, but especially through his death and glorious resurrection from the dead and final sending of the Spirit of truth.

Moreover, he confirmed with divine testimony what revelation proclaimed: that God is with us to free us from the darkness of sin and death, and to raise us up to life eternal.

Vatican II, Constitution on Divine Revelation, 1965: 4.