Second Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 26
Reading 1
Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
God put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am!" he replied.
Then God said:
"Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him up as a holocaust
on a height that I will point out to you."
When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD's messenger called to him from heaven,
"Abraham, Abraham!"
"Here I am!" he answered.
"Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger.
"Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son."
As Abraham looked about,
he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.
Again the LORD's messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
"I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
and make your descendants as countless
as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
your descendants shall take possession
of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth
shall find blessing—
all this because you obeyed my command."
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19
R. (116:9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I said,
"I am greatly afflicted."
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
Reading 2
Romans 8:31b-34
Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
how will he not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us, who will condemn?
Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised—
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.
Verse Before the Gospel
Cf. Matthew 17:5
From the shining cloud the Father's voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him.
Gospel
Mark 9:2-10
Jesus took Peter, James, and John
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
from the cloud came a voice,
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Glory Overshadowing the Cross
Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Mark 9:2–3
Just six days prior to this glorious event of the Transfiguration, Jesus spoke for the first time to His disciples about His pending crucifixion and death. He taught them that “the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days” (Mark 8:31). Recall that Peter had a difficult time accepting this teaching. Jesus went on to rebuke Peter for his refusal to accept this prophetic teaching and further explained that “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). These disciples then had six days to ponder this prophecy of our Lord before witnessing the Transfiguration.
In your life, is there something that God is trying to say to you that you have difficulty accepting? If so, it will most likely be related to God’s call to you to take up your cross and follow Him. The Cross of Christ comes in many forms throughout life. It might be experienced when we allow the passion of anger to die so that pure mercy can be offered to one who has hurt us. Or it might be that God is calling you to step out in faith to embrace some endeavor that requires courage and trust. Or it might be that God is calling you to accept some hardship in life that is difficult to accept, such as the loss of a loved one, an illness, the loss of a job or any other difficulty that you struggle to accept with love and trust. Bitterness, resentment, anger, fear and the like are often the most difficult crosses we are called to embrace and let die.
If this resonates with you, then this story of the Transfiguration is for you. After giving these disciples six days to ponder the difficult news of His coming Cross, Jesus gives them hope and inspiration through this sacred encounter. Though it lasted for only a short time, this manifestation of Jesus’ glory was all that these disciples needed to begin to accept Jesus’ prediction of His passion. On one hand, they feared what Jesus said was going to happen. But on the other hand, they saw His glory and majesty. By combining these two experiences, these disciples were given a new hope and strength to trust that whatever was to happen in the future, God was in control.
We also need the consoling revelation of our Lord’s glory to help us navigate the difficulties we will endure. For some, life is good, very good, and they walk with joy and ease with our Lord. But for others, life has taken a difficult turn and confusion has set in. If life is good for you right now, then rejoice that you are currently sharing a taste of the glory of the Transfiguration. Give thanks to God and tell Him with Saint Peter, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here!” Give thanks to him for the joy and consolation you currently experience. But if life is difficult for you right now, ponder those six days during which the disciples struggled with the prediction of the Lord’s passion. Think about their confusion, doubts and fear. As you do, turn your eyes up the mountain. Know that the glory of God awaits you and that He wants to free you from all fear and anxiety. The mountain is climbed by a firm faith that is grounded in prayer. Make that journey with our Lord through prayer.
Reflect, today, upon this holy mountain to which you are called. Know that as you climb it with perseverance and determination, hope and joy will be given to you. Pray for the ability to trust in the God Who not only died a cruel death but also is radiant in glory for all eternity. Trust Him, turn to Him and commit to the journey ahead.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
“SHALL I GIVE MY FIRST-BORN?” (SEE MICAH 6:7)
“Take your son, Isaac, your only one, whom you love…” —Genesis 22:2
God the Father asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, the one whom he loved (Gn 22:2). God the Father did Himself what He asked Abraham to do. For the Father, Jesus was His “Isaac,” His only Son, His well-beloved (Mk 9:7). Nonetheless, the Father did sacrifice Jesus, “His Beloved” (Mt 17:5).
God spared Abraham and Isaac, yet He “did not spare His own Son but handed Him over for the sake of us all” (Rm 8:32). Scripture says that God “laid upon [Jesus] the guilt of us all” (Is 53:6). Just as Abraham had laid the wood upon Isaac’s shoulders (Gn 22:6), God the Father allowed the wood of the cross and the sins of the world to be laid upon His Son’s shoulders.
Therefore, realize to the depths of your soul that God is for you. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rm 8:31) God the Father so loves you that He sent His only Son, that by believing in Jesus, you might have eternal life with Him in heaven (Jn 3:16). What God asks of you is to surrender your all to Him (Lk 10:27). Yet God first gave His all to you, His very heart, His Son Whom He loved (Mk 9:7).
Therefore, love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind (Lk 10:27). Give your life generously to Him Who has given so generously to you.
Prayer: Father, You have never held anything back from me. Show me what I am holding back from You. I beg for the grace to give everything to You.
Promise: “My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all His people.” —Ps 116:18
Praise: Praise and honor to You, Lord Jesus! You take us to the desert to speak to our hearts (Hos 2:16). We offer You our lives as a sacrifice of praise (Ps 50:23).
Reflection 3
by Vivian Amu
St. John's Parish
What do we withhold from God when we pray? Could it be our real sorrow? Our addictions to temporary pleasures of life? Our desire to recognize God’s voice? I have found myself unintentionally withholding how much I need God to show up and just make everything right for me. I would like to say that I spend my prayer time just enjoying God’s loving presence and seating in gratitude. However, I spend my time praying for temporary desires, a list of wants and needs, and forgiveness for past sins which God has already forgiven me for. Although it is well and good to pray for these things, I pray in those moments from a place of fear, not courage. The fear that God would ask me to do something I do not feel like doing. The fear that I might not recognize God’s voice. The fear that when, and if, I do not get what I want in the package I want it, then God did not hear my prayers.
When have we brought our whole self in prayer, and said, “Here I am!” When have we as Children of God had the courage to give up what we hold most dear and just trust God’s voice? So, on this second Sunday of lent, please join me in this prayer with courage:
Here I am Lord! You have asked me to have the courage to give up everything for the sake of your love. Help me do so with courage. Here I am Lord! I have nothing left but your love. Let that be enough for me. Help me feel and know so with courage. Here I am Lord! You have asked me to see as you see, hear as you hear, and recognize your voice. Lord, it is not easy, but help me do so.
Merciful and loving God, I am here. I will listen to your voice. Strengthen my faith. Amen
Prayers
Lord Jesus, keep me always alert and awake to you, to your word, your action, and your daily presence in my life. Let me see your glory.
My Transfigured Lord, You revealed Your glory to these disciples as a way of helping them accept Your Cross. Help me to also embrace Your Cross in my life and to see clearly the glory that results from its embrace. I trust in You, dear Lord; help me to trust You more. Jesus, I trust in You.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 56: The Good News of the Day
The secular world is filled with bad news. The newspapers, talk shows, and other forms of media thrive on sensational and exaggerated tragic events to keep our attention. And we, for our part, are often eager to share the latest gossip or criticism. But what about the good news? What about the news of God’s abundant Mercy? How often are you fascinated by this message and how often do you seek to tell the world about the Mercy of God? (See Diary #164)
Reflect upon that which you are most eager to share with others each and every day. Think about the joy you receive when you speak of the goodness and Mercy of God. Look for opportunities, this day, to share some joy about how great God is. Look for ways that God’s beauty and goodness have been evident this week and speak of His workings to those God puts in your path.
Lord, help me to turn from the sensationalism and negativity of the secular world. Help me, instead, to turn my eyes to You and Your glory. Give me courage, wisdom and love so that I may speak of You freely and joyfully. Lord, You are the Good News that must be shared everywhere. Help me to be a willing instrument. Jesus, I trust in You.
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