March 1, 2026
Gospel: Mark, Chapter 9, verses 2–13
Homily of the Pontiff Samuel
2nd Sunday of Lent
Let yourselves be transfigured
so that you may experience even now Jesus,
Elijah, Moses and the Holy City
(Draft: Automatic Translation)
Brothers, “it is good for us to be here”. We join Peter’s words to proclaim our joy. The joy of being able to be here, the joy of being able to be in this “Tent”, the final tent that manifests God’s last and definitive Covenant with His children (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Dwelling Established by Jesus”, 09/03/1997).
This is the joy of God’s children, this is that irrepressible joy we experience on the Lord’s Day and which we experience in this time in a special way, for this is a time of joy. And it is wonderful to be able to gather together, and it is wonderful to be able to experience this joy together.
Let us remain in this joy (Jn 16:22), just as our Jesus said to His Maiden, “I am Joy” (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “Joy Even in Suffering”, 01/01/1989). And the moment you meet Jesus, there can only be joy in your heart.
Let us remain on this Mountain (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Holy City”, 23/06/1996), let us remain in this joy so that we may continue to pray and praise: to pray to the Archangels (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Archangels”, 29/09/1986) just as we are doing at this time to strengthen the Father’s action: to pray to every single Archangel by calling them by name, and to do the same with every Angelic Choir (Pontifical Decree, “Institution of the Feast of the Seven Archangels”, 28/09/2025) so that the prayer of God’s children, the prayer of God’s holy people (1 Pet 2:9), may unite with the action of heaven.
Here is the Church Militant uniting with the Church Triumphant (Act of the Magisterium, “One is the Message, One is the Mandate, One is the Mission upon which the Church Militant and Triumphant of Christ rests”, 27/02/2025) in a single action so that the Father’s Will may be fulfilled, may be manifested, and the Father may manifest His Victory over the world and over iniquity (Jn 16:33).
Here is the invocation that Mother Church raises weekly to the Archangels: “Go and conquer to give substance and fulfilment to the Father’s action”.
Here are the children of God gathering on this Mountain to experience Heaven: to continue to experience Heaven and to see the Light with these very eyes even now, so that they too may be transfigured and, with eyes of Light, may contemplate Him who is Light (1 John 1:5), He who gives Light to His children (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The True Face of Jesus”, 18/06/1995), Christ the Lord.
Behold, today, the desire to ascend in the understanding of the Mystery of God in the light of the Gospel passage heard today: the Transfiguration.
We are called to be saints (Magisterial Act, “The Generation of Saints”, 23/03/2025), dear brothers and sisters, so that we may live the Transfiguration every day in the presence of God, to see the reality of God even now with these transfigured eyes.
Here we shall understand clearly who the blind are, those who cannot see, and who those are who, on the contrary, see clearly; who are the blind guides (Mt 23:16) who presume to see, and who are those humble, lowly ones who beat their breasts in the presence of God (Lk 18:13) but who wish to see reality through the eyes of God, through the eyes of the man-God Jesus.
This is what Saint Paul had to say in his Letter to the Corinthians. “Now we see through a glass, darkly, but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know fully” (1 Cor 13:12).
What is the context in which this scene takes place? A well-defined spatiotemporal context. And it is a context that can be understood in the light of Holy Scripture. It is an apocalyptic context, but it is also a context that begins with the Book of Genesis: here, then, is the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Book of Books, the Alpha of the Book of Books. And the Book of Revelation, the Omega. This gives us the key to understanding what Jesus says and shows to his Friends. We begin with a reference to the sixth day. Here Genesis returns, Creation returns. On the sixth day God created man (Gen 1:26–31) and after the sixth day – this is the context in which we find ourselves – God rests because everything is complete (Gen 2:2–3). The seventh day: the day of fulfilment. So here man – the sixth day – gives way to the God-man, the fulfilment of God’s action manifested in His Son; the Word becomes flesh (Jn 1:14), God.
Then there is the space. The space marks a place: ‘a high mountain’, it is written; and then it is written again ‘a secluded place’ (Mk 9:2). Here we are, on this “high mountain”, on this hill (Isaiah 5:1), New Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:32), “secluded place”, lost to the world, yet very much present to God (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Holy Place of Jesus’ Return”, 19/02/1995).
Behold, everything is being fulfilled just as Jesus said to that woman: “Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem” (Jn 4:21). For God is Spirit (Jn 4:24) and the Spirit is worshipped on another mountain, New Jerusalem, the Holy City descending from heaven (Rev 21:2) so that He may manifest Himself on earth: Reality, Metaphysical City, where the Spirit of God manifests and meets humanity to elevate humanity and lead it to divinity so that all, after the ‘sixth day’, may experience the ‘seventh day’.
And there are witnesses whom Jesus calls so that this testimony may transcend history and be understood: Peter, James and John. There are three, but the figure of John evokes another John (Jn 1:6) who was united with the spirit of those brothers: and so here are these four figures. Moreover, the Book of Revelation speaks of witnesses when the ‘two witnesses’ in chapter 11 are described (Rev 11:3–4). So here is Peter united with James, a witness; and here are the two Johns, another witness.
“Jesus was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, whiter than any bleacher on earth could make them” (Mk 9:2–3). It is not a human white, because “no bleacher could make them so white”, but it is a divine white. These garments are white “with a divine whiteness”, and to understand this, the Book of Revelation comes to our aid once more, for white garments are mentioned several times in the Book of Revelation. In Revelation 22 it is written: “Blessed are those who wash their robes; they will have the right to the Tree of Life and may enter through the gates of the City” (Rev 22:14). The condition for partaking of the Tree of Life and entering through the gates of the City, the New Jerusalem, is to have white robes of that very white which Jesus wore. Therefore, one must be transfigured, becoming holy just as the God-man is holy. This is the meaning of wearing that robe. Moreover, the Book of Revelation also says: “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white robes and with golden crowns on their heads” (Rev 4:4). These twenty-four elders, holy figures, holy, holy, holy, wear white robes. And again, in chapter 7: “One of the Elders then turned to me and said: ‘Who are these who are dressed in white, and where do they come from? I replied: ‘My lord, you know.’ And he said: ‘These are the ones who have come through the great tribulation and have washed their robes, making them white in the Blood of the Lamb’” (Rev 7:13–14).
Everything becomes clearer now. The robe becomes white, pure white, after one has come through the great tribulation: this is the time of the great apostasy, this is the time foretold by the prophet Daniel (Dan 12:1), taken up by Jesus in the Gospel (Mt 24:15-21) and taken up again by St Paul, when he speaks of the mystery of iniquity which must first be revealed and then the end will come (2 Thess 2:3-7).
At the moment one passes through all this, one washes one’s robe in the Blood of the Lamb, thus sharing in the martyrdom (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “To die in order to live, to lose in order to gain”, 24/03/1985), and thus in the witness of the Son of God, the robe becomes pure white. It is not a human whiteness, I repeat, but a divine whiteness that can only be achieved through divine processes.
Thus, a passage of profound eschatological significance that leads us to the final eschatology, to the final Fulfilment. Jesus now shows those brothers what would happen at the end, giving them a foretaste of what they would experience and what would be experienced in that final witness described in the Book of Revelation.
And with Jesus there are these two great figures: Elijah and Moses. The Gospel says ‘they were talking with Jesus’ (Mk 9:4) in a very familiar setting, one of great intimacy; we might say: of great brotherhood between them: one, two, three. And these figures have marked the history of humanity, marking its most important stages. Their action, a spiritual action inspired by the Spirit of Christ, unites this action which flows into Christ. Thus, three spiritual actions that run through the History of Salvation, flowing into Jesus, that Jesus who says “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6), marking three actions that are his own.
We might define them as: “Three Messianic Waves”. Christ, the Anointed One, the Consecrated One. Three Waves that characterise the History of Salvation.
The first Action, the first Messianic Wave, if we may call it that, is that of Moses, who opens the Way for the Chosen People so that they may enter the Promised Land (Ex 14). This is the Way that Moses opens.
Then there is the second Wave, the second spiritual Action, carried out by Elijah, whose Spirit we know continues throughout history (Mt 11:14). And what does Elijah do? Through the words of Jesus himself, in this passage, Jesus says that Elijah is the one who ‘restores’ (Mk 9:12). What? God’s order concerning those who, having become apostates, were leading the people astray with a truth that was not such. Thus Elijah restores the absolute Truth, placing God and His immutable Laws back at the centre. Second spiritual action.
Then there is the third, that of Jesus, who says: ‘You will be told of this when I have risen from the dead’ (Mk 9:9). He is thus speaking of the moment when Jesus conquers death and Life is. Here is the third and final Action, the Fulfilment: Jesus conquering death and bestowing Life, so that all may return to that Holy Garden and live for Eternity. The Fulfilment of fulfilments.
Humanity stands in awe before this Revelation. Holy humanity, represented by Peter as a witness, says first of all: “Master, it is good for us to be here” (Mk 9:5). It is good. Faced with this wonder, the first thing that springs from Peter’s heart is to exclaim “it is good”. All this is good. And here are the Three Tents. “Let us make three tents”. Already in a commentary a few years ago I spoke of the Three Tents as the Three Covenants, the Three Manifestations where in the third Tent everything is fulfilled. Third Covenant, this Church (Meditation of the Day, “The Transfiguration of Jesus, true Man and true God”, 06/08/2020). And if you like, in this third tent, in this third Covenant, these Actions are summarised as a compendium. Just think: the Infant Jesus descends from heaven and traces the Way (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Return of Jesus”, 30/10/1994): the first Wave. Then the Spirit of Elijah, proceeding through history—the Holy Spirit—by the Will of the Father, rebuilds and refounds the Church of Christ. Who can found or re-establish the Church if not the Spirit Himself? No man can do so. The Spirit who descends from Heaven (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Holy Spirit”, 13/09/1984): behold that Spirit who proceeds through history, rebuilding the Church to re-establish the Truth (Jn 16:13), in a time, within time, of the greatest apostasy, just as it is written. And then behold, all converges in the final fulfilment when Life will conquer death and the children will live for eternity (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Holy Place of Jesus’ Return”, 19/02/1995; Act of Magisterium, “Love is Life”, 05/12/2021).
In the Mystery of the Child Jesus, everything is recapitulated. Moreover, the Master Himself, explaining to His Apostles what they were asking to understand, gives a surprising answer regarding Elijah. The Master says: “Yes, Elijah comes first and restores everything, but how is it written concerning the Son of Man?” (Mk 9:12). He speaks of Elijah, but immediately speaks of the “Son of Man”, in a unicum: “who must suffer much and be despised. Well then, I tell you that Elijah has already come, but they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him” (Mk 9:12–13).
So there is this connection, this link, this intertwining between Elijah and the Son of Man, in this Action. And from this we also understand the other Actions, thanks to this precise explanation, which the Master gives to his Friends and gives to us through them.
What is the second reaction of holy humanity, if we may call it that, represented once again by Peter and his Friends, in the face of all this? “For he did not know what to say, since they were overcome with fear” (Mk 9:6). Peter no longer knows what to say, after having spoken of “it is good for us to be here; let us make three tents”. And this human fear, as we might call it, is immediately overcome by divine comfort.
Behold God, the Almighty Father, revealing Himself; behold the theophany which, upon a cloud, envelops everything and everyone and makes His Voice heard to reassure. “Then a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my beloved Son; listen to him’” (Mk 9:7). The Father sets His Seal, so that those words may be believed and heard without fear.
We are all called to become divine, to be transfigured, so that we may all become “many little Jesuses”. This is what will come to pass when we return to that Garden, just as it is written in Genesis 3:22: “Then the Lord God said: ‘Behold, man has become like one of Us in knowing good and evil. Now let him not stretch out his hand and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat and live forever’” (Gen 3:22).
Mortal man, by nature, aspires to immortality. It was sin that shattered all this, and man was expelled and could not then experience all this, because of sin. The Cherubim stand at the gate (Gen 3:24) and wait for the People of God to return there so that they may experience all this once more.
And so, from Genesis we return to Revelation, to chapter 22, where we read of the Tree of Life, whose fruit nourishes and whose leaves heal (Rev 22:2). Thus, everything is fulfilled, returning to the starting point.
In the first verse of this chapter 22, the evangelist says: “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev 22:1). And the evangelist discerns in these symbols the presence of the Holy Trinity. Behold, the Holy Trinity returns. In the waters: he sees the Spirit; in the Throne: God seated and the Lamb: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Human fear, dear brothers and sisters, is taking hold in so many hearts today. We are seeing what is happening these days. The news of this latest escalation is recent. Many will be seized by fear. But I say to you: keep your gaze fixed on this Mountain. Do not look back. And when you see that the escalation, rather than diminishing, increases, lift your eyes even higher. Contemplate with eyes of light what is experienced on this Mountain: Jesus who has come down from heaven to bring joy to all (Act of the Magisterium, “Love has once again descended upon the Earth”, 02/02/2022).
This I say to you, dear brothers and sisters: do not look back, but keep your gaze fixed ahead. And when you descend from the Mountain and we return to our daily lives, listen carefully to what Jesus says to these brothers. “As they were coming down from the mountain, he ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. And they kept the matter to themselves” (Mk 9:9-10).
Do not rush ahead of God’s timing. Do not disobey God’s invitation. “They kept the matter to themselves”, so that they might rediscover and relive it by climbing the mountain to take in fresh air and live, so as not to cast pearls before swine (Mt 7:6) who would devour them just as they would devour carob pods.
The example, as always, is given to us by Mary, who “treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Lk 2:19), says the Evangelist. And the example is given to us by Saint Joseph, her spouse, whom we are already beginning to celebrate today, at the start of March, the month dedicated to the Patron Saint of the Universal Church, Patron of every family, Guardian of the Holy Family, Guardian of the Little Cradle, Guardian of Christianity (Pontifical Decree, “Glorious Saint Joseph”, 25/03/2020).
And the moment the glorious Saint Joseph strikes the ground with his staff – there is the staff he holds in his right hand: the three loaves representing the Trinity in his left and the staff he holds firmly in his right – and the moment Joseph’s staff strikes the ground, the world will hear and feel the blow.
Joy for the children of God, something else for others, because the Father has conferred power upon him for having fulfilled in a marvellous and perfect manner the task entrusted to him (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “Saint Joseph”, 19 March 1998).
Take Joseph as your example, just as he watched over the Child Jesus and his Bride. Do this: do this for every family, do this for the family of the Universal Church.
Love one another, as Joseph, Mary and the Child Jesus loved one another (Revelation of the Most Holy Mary to Maria G. Norcia, “The Divine Family and the Golden Staircase”, 25/12/1988), so that this Family may be seen and appreciated for its example, rather than for the words of what is proclaimed.
Be holy, children of God, so that you may be transfigured even now and may already see with these eyes the reality that already is. Behold the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:2-3), prophesied and sung of; and blessed are those who live it, for this blessedness will be eternal, never ending, because thus the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have willed it. Amen.
