Second Sunday of Lent
There are two spectacular events in today’s scripture readings – the miraculous fiery consummation of Abrahams sacrifice and the transfiguration of Jesus. I reflected upon these passages both from God’s perspective and from the perspective of the characters in the story. And I found great contrasts in these perspectives. For the God who created the entire universe what does it take to get a flaming torch pass through Abraham’s sacrifice? I think it was child’s play for God. For that matter, what does it take God to have Abraham and Sarah have a baby in their old age? For the God who created the universe it really was not a big deal. On the contrary, for Abraham and Sarah this was a BIG DEAL. Similarly, in the transfiguration event, what does it take God to create that divine experience for the disciples? Not much! God merely revealed who God really is! But for Peter, James and John this was a BIG DEAL. They wanted to stay there forever.
Here is what I am trying to say – form God’s perspective, the promise of descendants and lands to Abraham or the transfiguration is not a big deal even though it is a big deal for Abraham and Peter James and John. What then is the BIG DEAL for God? Is there a big deal for God? Yes there is! The COVENANT that God made with Abraham – now that was a BIG DEAL. The Covenant ties God down to the fate of the human race. By making a Covenant with Abraham, God subjects God’s self to human frailty. After all, God gave human being the freedom to love God or to reject God. In the Covenant, God became the victim of human freedom. The transfigured Jesus is the sign of God’s fidelity to the Covenant. Jesus abandoning the glory of the transfiguration and going down the mountain was in fidelity to the Covenant. Jesus on the cross was God’s fidelity to the Covenant. It was the Covenant that nailed Jesus to the Cross. It was the Covenant that killed the Son of God. And this is a BIG DEAL!
Three points for us to think about.
1.Let me begin with today’s second reading. In a rather harsh statement, Paul says, “For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.”” Listen, dear people, I do not want to stand here on the altar and judge and condemn people who may make different choices than I do. I am not judging Paul for making his statement either. This statement is not meant to make me think of those others who conduct themselves shamefully. This statement is an invitation to me to realize that the Cross of Christ is a BIG DEAL. This statement is an invitation to experience the overwhelming power the Cross of Christ. This statement is an invitation to understand the implication of God’s Covenant with us, and then to bear witness to it, and then to live accordingly.
2.The first point takes us to another significant reflection. Why does God make a big deal of God’s relationship with us? Why does God make a Covenant that subjects God to human frailties? I think this is because creation is a reflection of God. When God looks at everything and every human, God sees God’s own self in them. How many of you parents look at your children and see yourself in them? God made us in God’s image and likeness. In other words, WE ARE A BIG DEAL. If only we could look at our self and each other as God sees us, then we will realize that we are a big deal. I can see why God thinks we are worth a Covenant. I can see why God thinks that we are worth the Cross. I can see why God thinks we are worth redeeming at the cost of Jesus’ life.
3.At the beginning of the homily I referred to looking at events from God’s perspective and our perspective. The transfiguration of Jesus – what shall we say about it? The voice from within the cloud said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” In these words God gifts Jesus to us; in these words God gifts God’s own self to us. Jesus is the one to listen to; he is the one to follow. He is salvation, he is hope, and he is life. And what about our perspective? Today we see more than Peter, James and John saw on the top of mountain. God’s entire plan of salvation is clear to us. Today, we know who Jesus is and today we know who we are in Jesus. We realize that what was said of Jesus is said of us – “You are my chosen son/daughter.” Today, more than at any other time, we must reveal God the world in the same way that Jesus did. Today we must a son and a daughter of God. And for me, dear people, this is a BIG DEAL .
Let us make our presence at the Eucharist our way of being present at the mountain with Jesus, Amen.
-Fr. Satish Joseph