Deacon Tom Anthony

Second Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 25

Reading 1 Gn 12:1-4a

The LORD said to Abram:
"Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk
and from your father's house to a land that I will show you.

"I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you."

Abram went as the LORD directed him.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22.

R. (22) 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.

Reading 2 2 Tm 1:8b-10

Beloved:
Bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God.

He saved us and called us to a holy life,
not according to our works
but according to his own design
and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,
who destroyed death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel.

Verse Before the Gospel Cf. Mt 17:5

From the shining cloud the Father's voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him.

Gospel Mt 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Lord, it is good that we are 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, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him."
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
"Rise, and do not be afraid."
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
"Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 Entering into the Christian Community is a gathering of sorts. We have been called to be sharers in the Love of God and the joy that can be experienced when our lives are centered on Him. He has made a promise to us that, through Him, we all will be united and blessed in a very special way. This was first revealed through Abraham and brought to its fullness through Jesus Christ. The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ brought everything that came before (Moses and the Prophets) to its completeness in Jesus Christ. It is through our relationship with Jesus Christ we too are completed.

Many times in our lives we find ourselves searching. There is something missing and we try to provide the answer through our indulgence into sin and the allures of society. Yet, as we all know, what this provides is only immediate gratification and we are soon back where we started only emptier than before. It is only when we take a moment to step back and contemplate Jesus Christ that the solution to our condition is realized. The path to joy and satisfaction is only through Him. The sooner we realize this, make a full commitment to Him, and build off of that foundation, the sooner we will be witnesses not only to a fundamental change within ourselves but to all of those we interact with.

Our entire human experience has the potential to be a celebration. There will still be disappointments and difficulties, but these can be faced with the knowledge that there is something greater than what we witness in the physical aspects of the world. That greatness lies in the One who created all of this and all of us. We have all experienced life separate from the One and now, as professed Christians, we have an opportunity to experience everything with Him. This is God’s desire for all of us: to experience all that He has to offer with Him and enjoy it with Him. We are told that this is a part of the Divine Plan. Understanding this should bring us to the conclusion that if we struggle against the intentions of our Creator, nothing good can come from it.

 Jesus asks us to stop fighting and embrace Him in His full glory and love. The Transfiguration serves as a statement to who Jesus is. He stands before all of creation. We are called to join Him on this mountain. We are called to contemplate what this means to us. We are then commissioned to go forward with knowledge and begin our lives anew. Mentally, we might struggle with this, especially when confronted by those who embrace the brokenness of society. In reaction to this we must ask ourselves who we are going to listen to: Jesus Christ or the opinions of those who by their very nature are faulted beyond comparison.

During this Season of Lent we are encouraged to contemplate our sins and all that has caused us pain and confusion. We are then to place these objects of pain and frustration at the foot of Jesus Christ. We offer them to Him and accept Him in return for who He is: the one who can take them all away, for these burdens that we have were created by us while everything else was brought into being by Him. We offer imperfection while He offers perfection. As was spoken through the Prophet Isaiah:

“Come now, let us set things right,

  says the Lord:

Though your sins be like scarlet,

they may become white as snow.”

A very beautiful thing about this invitation is the fact that God said “us.” It indicates togetherness. It is through our relationship with Him that we are healed and can experience Him. This takes work and progression but with God on our side there is no chance at failure. God is perfect. In His perfection, He will never break a promise. Let us remember this promise and let it nurture our spirituality and love for Him

Deacon Tom