Madison-area Catholics learned this week during the second Sunday of Lent how the Old Testament foreshadowed what was to come with respect to Christ and the fulfillment of prophecy.

"The Gospel for the second Sunday of Lent is always the Transfiguration of Christ, and this year we're in the cycle of Saint Luke's Gospel, so it's Luke chapter 9 that narrates that remarkable moment when Jesus trudges up Mount Tabor with Peter, James and John," Madison Bishop Donald Hying said in a recent Facebook post.

"And for just a brief moment in time, those three close friends of Jesus are privileged to see his resurrected, transfigured glory—to view him as he is in the glory of heaven after the Resurrection," Hying said. "Moses and Elijah appeared along with him, Elijah representing the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament, Moses representing the law—and both of them affirming the truth of Jesus's identity and the fullness of his mission. Their presence points to the beautiful truth that everything in the Old Testament leads us to Christ as the fulfillment of all prophecy and the fulfillment of the law."

Lent is described by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) as "a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter." During Lent, Catholics aspire to strengthen their faith through service and abstention.

"We serve by giving alms; and we practice self-control through fasting," the USCCB said in a release on its website. "We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully."

Catholics typically abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent, but the USCCB asks people to practice self-discipline in other ways. It also reminds Catholics that the broader definition of "almsgiving" includes more than donating money, extending to the sharing of time and talents.

The Gospel passage for the second Sunday of Lent 2022 was Luke chapter 9, which can be found on the USCCB website. It tells of Jesus bringing three apostles—Peter, James and John—up a mountain to pray. As he was praying, Moses and Elijah appeared beside him, and the three began to converse. The apostles then heard a voice say, "This is my chosen Son; listen to him."

This event is known as the Transfiguration, and it is recounted in each of the four Gospels. Christianity.com describes the Transfiguration as "a powerful demonstration of His divine nature and manifestation of His glory."