Second Sunday of Lent

Today's Mass Readings

There are many themes we can pick up for today’s reflection. But let me concentrate on the theme “Listen to Him” (Mk 9:7). In the context of the sacrifice that God demanded of Abraham, and in the context of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son, God says to Abraham:

I swear by myself, declared the Lord,
That because you acted as you did (as I said),
In not with holding from me your beloved son
I will bless you abundantly
And will 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 f the earth shall find blessing—
All this because you obeyed my command. (Gen 22:15-18) The point is this. The blessing that God gifted to Abraham is intrinsically connected to his obedience. This connection between blessing and obedience will continue to be the cornerstone of Judaic spirituality. Generations later when the Lord rescued the people of Israel from Egypt to the promised land God reminded them, “If you listen to my precepts and statutes, and do as I command you, you will live; But if you do not listen, you will die” (Deut 30: 15). Moses himself was prohibited from going into the Promised Land because he doubted God’s command and disobeyed (Num 20:12).

The gospel reading in which we read about the transfiguration of Jesus, gains double significance in the light of what we have said above. Jesus is seen by the disciples in his glory with Abraham and Moses. Peter would like to have remained there. But once again, blessing comes not by mere desiring, but by obedience to God. The words heard at Jesus’ baptism are heard once more, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him” (Mk 9:7). And so Jesus, leads his disciples down the mountain to get back to the reality of life, where the lessons of obedience are learnt.

We are entering the second week in Lent. We try to relive the forty days and nights that Jesus spent in the desert. We try to deny ourselves the things we like. We make small sacrifices to discipline ourselves. And yet, scripture reminds us today, that our sacrifices like that of Abraham and Jesus are acceptable to the Lord, if we are also obedient to the Lord.

This second week of Lent, let us try to spend time each day in reflection and identify those areas where our lives are out of sync with God’s command. And this lent, if there was one area that we can set straight, purely out of obedience to God, then we will be blessed in unimagineable ways by God. God’s blessing, healing, compassion, love and salvation itself will come to us like never before, through the obedience of Jesus.

- Fr. Satish Joseph