"From death to life: this is the foundation of the whole edifice of Lent through to Easter, actually of the whole construction of Christian life which basically consists of the Easter dynamism". This was recalled by the Pope, who, during yesterday’s Angelus, connected the events told by the Gospel with the last two Sundays: the temptations of Jesus in the desert and the transfiguration on Mount Tabor. "Both episodes said Benedict XVI foreshadow the Easter mystery: Jesus’ fight with the tempter heralds the great final duel of the Passion, whilst the light of His transfigured body heralds the glory of Resurrection". In other words, on the one side, "we see Jesus fully a man, who shares even temptation with us; on the other side, we contemplate Him as God’s Son, who deifies our human nature". From this perspective, "the transfiguration heralds the resurrection, but the latter implies death. Jesus manifests His glory to the Apostles, so that they will be strong enough to face the outrage of the Cross and will understand that one has to go through many tribulations to reach the Kingdom of God.
