SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT, ROMAN LITURGY, YEAR-A Readings:Gen. 12:1-4; 2 Tim. 1:8b-10; Mt. 17:1-9 This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him! FIRST READING (Gen. 12:1-4): The Lord said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your fathers house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. RESPONSORIAL PSALM ( Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22): R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, To deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you. R/ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. SECOND READING (2 Tim. 1:8b-10): Brothers and sisters: Join with me in suffering for the Gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. GOSPEL READING ( Mt. 17:1-9): Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him! When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, Get up and do not be afraid. And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead. REFLECTION: During this blessed season of Lent, the Holy Catholic Church which is instituted by Christ Himself, invites us to prepare ourselves for the great Feast of Easter that approaches. Really, it is a time of our interior transformation. Since the beginning of time itself God planned to transform us through his Son Jesus. The Transfiguration Event of Jesus in todays Gospel is not just about Jesus. I would like to see it as a vision of the glorious future to which we are all called. The glory of the transfigured Jesus awaits each of us. In his first letter St. John writes, “ We are already children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is that when it is revealed we shall be like Him because we shall see Him as he really is.” (1 John 3:2) Dear ones,celebrating Jesus’ Transfiguration early in Lent reminds us of what comes after the cross. Because it reminds us of the glory of Jesus risen from the dead. In our lifes worst moments of pain may we not think negatively but remember the encouragement we receive in Sacred Scripture and that God has destined the glory of the transfiguration for each of us in the next life. Thus we will have the understanding that all the perils of our life are the effective means for our purification and transformation.We are called to listen to the voice of God and imitate His Son Jesus in our moments of trials, temptation, sufferings, humiliation and rejection. Lent is the most appropriate time to follow Jesus footsteps by embracing the cross and doing Gods Will. For our Lenten journey to be effective and fruitful, we need to have our destination in mind. Through our Lenten penances we try to be detached from the things of this world and keep our eyes of faith fixed on the Christ who touches and transforms our very lives. Jesus comes into the world to reveal fully the Father’s love for us and to complete his plan to share his life with us. In the gospel scene of the Transfiguration, Jesus takes the disciples Peter, James and John to the Mount Tabor just before his journey to Jerusalem and the cross. He lets them see the whole panorama of what God has slowly been revealing bit by bit over the ages through the law and the prophets. The disciples enter into the conversation with Elijah and Moses, those who have seen the face of God, for those who know God’s heart. This experience of looking at the face of the Father forever transforms them. Dear ones, we need to go up the mountain of prayer and ask God to open our eyes that we may see. When God grants us a glimpse of eternity then we shall realize that all our troubles in this life are short-lived. Then shall we have the courage to accept the apparently the sufferings of this life, knowing that through it all God is on our side. All it takes is a little glimpse of heaven to empower us to take up our daily crosses and follow Jesus, knowing that the cross of Lent is followed by the crown of Easter.So we will be able to face the trials of the day. Because nothing can separate us from the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord. PRAYER: Lord Jesus, grant that we may be brought to the glory of your resurrection by your Passion and Cross. Touch us and raise us up with your strength so that we do not run away from the cross or escape from sacrifices involved in fulfilling your mission. Grant that we may imitate your way of sacrificial love for the salvation of the world. Give us the courage and strength to carry our daily crosses so that we may share your glory. Confirm us with an unwavering hope in your promises so that we may courageously face sufferings of this life with that goal in mind. Amen.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 13:38:19 +0000