Second Sunday of Lent
Do you know where most young Americans get their national and international news? Late night talk shows on Comedy Central. The likes of Steven Colbert, Jon Stewart, are not just great comedians; they are also brilliant news anchors who combine incredible humor to their news analysis. However, the downside of this genre is that serious global events, like wars, begin to be perceived rather lightly, because they are dealt within the genre of comedy. Sitcoms do the same things. Serious issues like marriage and family are treated so casually that we do not know whether sitcoms reflect life or life tries to imitate sitcoms. On the latest episode of Modern Family, I saw God being ridiculed for giving an old man a son and then demanding that he be stabbed to death (referring to the story of Abraham in today’s first reading). If talk shows and sticoms run the risk of striping global events their seriousness, do you think we too can strip faith and religion of its power? I think this often happens with Lent.
We have entered the second week of Lent. My homily is not so much about today’s readings as they are about observing Lent with the gravity it deserves. The six weeks of Lent involve a journey into the most significant events of salvation history. These events have eternal implications. I am suggesting that we do not approach Lent like late-night talk show hosts deal with war or sitcoms deal with religion. I am suggesting three attitudes to have during Lent.
1) Profound Awe
Let me begin with the gospel passage and the account of the transfiguration of Jesus. When Peter, James and John got up the mountain they were dazzled by the event. Peter was the only one who was able to mutter something. Mark tells us, “He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.” Scripture commentaries tell us that the Greek word ekphoboi which translates into ‘terrified’ does not mean terror or fear of harm of death. Rather, it means ‘awestruck.’ In other words, the disciples were struck with awe. I would like to suggest that we approach Lent with this sense of awe.
Last week, just before the children were dismissed for the children’s liturgy of the word, I asked them if they had given anything up for Lent. One child replied, “candy,” and another said that he had forgotten what he had given up. And then a fifth grader shocked the entire congregation by saying that she had given up ‘lying’ for Lent. Perhaps she did not realize it, but she was both admitting her need for change and resolving to do it. This is what I mean by suggesting that we approach Lent with a sense of awe. Our Lenten penances (like giving up stuff) are not ends in themselves. They should be actions that symbolize a deeper movement. Lent is accompanying Jesus to the top of the mountain, into the desert and all the way up to the cross. Lent means that I allow myself to be awestruck by God, to be dazzled by Jesus, to find myself mesmerized in prayer. If giving up coffee or pop for Lent is not accompanied by deep conversion, a deepening of my relationship with God, reconciliation within and without, nurturing of a genuine sense of discipleship, sincere charity, – then Lent can become a sitcom.
2) Undaunted Trust in God
Is the story of Abraham merely the story of God giving an old man a son only to have him stabbed? The logical end to Abraham and Isaac’s story is found in today’s second reading. Paul says, “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?” Of course, sitcoms do not have the ability to absorb the depth of salvation history but you and I do. In his wildest imagination, Abraham would not have thought that God would make a demand of Abraham that God would not make of God’s own self. Abraham would not have imagined that while his son was spared that God’s son was not. But that is not Abraham’s concern. All Abraham knew was that he must be radically obedient to God and sacrifice his deepest longing and desire. It is true. Sometimes obedience to God means a move away from ourselves. Obedience to God does not always make immediate sense. That is why, an important dimension of Lent is self-denial. Lent is not about what God can do for me but rather what I can do for God? Can I lay what is most dear to me at the altar? If God seeks it, am I willing to sacrifice that which is most precious to me, trusting that God has a plan? There is a reason why the transfiguration ends with the words, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Lent calls for undaunted obedience to God.
3) Profound Conversion
Let us turn our attention to the gospel reading for an understanding of the meaning of conversion. In the account of the transfiguration, there is a going up the mountain and there is a coming down from the mountain. On the top of the mountain, Peter and the disciples had an vision of how things might go. Peter said, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents….” Little did Peter know that they would be going down the mountain. There would be yet another time Jesus must go up the mountain but this time to be on the cross. But this time, he will be alone. There would not be dazzling sights or the voice of God. Rather, there would be a mangled body on the cross and deafening silence from God. This time, Jesus would not come down from the cross but rather taken down from the cross. This time he would be buried in the tomb. Of course, the story continues but let us keep that for Easter. For now, like Peter, Lent us asking us to be prepared to change our vision. For now, we must be prepared for conversion. Sure, we would like to be on the top of the mountain but God is asking us to go down. Really, are there areas in our lives where we are complacent, comfortable, resistant, insistent, rebellious, unyielding? What does it mean for us to come down the mountain? Can God expect conversion from us this Lent.
- Fr. Satish Joseph