Second Sunday of Lent

Lectionary: 25

Reading 1

Genesis 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

Psalm 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 Timothy 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

Matthew 17:5

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

Gospel

Matthew 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,

 

God made a promise to Abram: “

“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.”

 

It was through Him that God established Israel and it was through him that God revealed Himself to the Jewish people and to the entire world. This was the covenant that God established with Abraham. We become partakers in that covenant through the revelation of Jesus Christ. As Jesus Christ said,

 

 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”

 

It is through Him that the law is revealed and brought to its fulfilment. Everything that came before, throughout time and space, has led up to Him and with Him perfection and salvation will be achieved.

 

Through Abraham, God established a special relationship with the Jewish people. They were the first to enter into relationship with Him and receive Divine Revelation. From Adam, Noah, Abraham, through King David to Jesus Christ this relationship has been preserved and built upon until the effect of these has permeated throughout God’s creation. Starting with the first covenant with Noah, all those that God made were solidified and ratified with last and greatest one: Jesus Christ.

 

This message was revealed through the Transfiguration, with those present to take the message to heart and build upon it through their ministry and mission. It was through the witnesses, (Peter, James, and John), that the full revelation of Jesus Christ and the Salvation Story would be brought into the world. Not only was Jesus transfigured before them, but they too were transfigured by the experience. This would be a moment that, many times in the future, they would come to rely upon as a constant reminder of the divinity of Jesus Christ and the commands of the Father. It would become a validation of sorts when faced with challenges or obstacles that would threaten to overwhelm them or force them to question their faith.

 

Just like the Apostles before us, we too will be faced with challenges and situations where our faith might falter. We can easily become overwhelmed with the calamities that face us and, with that, doubts might creep in. Hope might easily be replaced with hopelessness. In times like these, we must ensure ourselves that our spirituality and relationship with Jesus Christ is strong enough to endure. It is not enough to tell ourselves that we are spiritually fit, we need to work at it and exercise it as much as our mind and body; familiarize ourselves on a personal level with God. To know God is to love God, for God is love.  Spiritual fitness is the key to a rich and satisfying existence. When we are spiritually sick, then our disease will spread quickly to our mind and body. These three things make up who we are as a human person and, how they are operating together, will determine our good health.

 

The apostle Paul tells Timothy to,

 

“Bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God.”

 

There was no question about the presence of the strength that Paul was referring to, only that it was present and would be made manifest when necessary.  We are also possessors of that same faith and can be receivers of the spiritual gifts that come with it, if we act out what we believe. When we act it out, we become familiar with it, and can then utilize it with more conviction. Repetition creates familiarity, familiarity leads to closeness, and closeness leads to love. To get to each step requires work and is a process. No one knows another intimately over a short period of time. It takes time and it takes hard work. Once we start working at it, the benefits will be seen quickly.

 

The Transfiguration was a pivotable moment in both Jesus’ ministry and His relationship with Peter, James, and John. Through the experience, those apostles were also transfigured. That event can be described as a transformative experience. There is nothing holding us back from having our own transformative experience. In fact, we have that capability every moment of our existence. That is truly what a relationship with Jesus Christ is all about. Through the relationship, we should be transformed into something better. If we are unable to do that, then we should understand that more work is required. In other words, we must be willing to do the hard work to achieve the promised results. The fault lies with the person, if there requires more work. In times like these, we can rely on guidance from the Church and from God Himself. He is always willing to help us if we need it. We only have to ask for it. The real question is, will we be even willing to ask when the time comes for us to need help? This does take a certain level of humility, but it is through humbling oneself that we become stronger; especially when the person we are humbling ourselves before is God.

 

Unlike us, God keeps all His promises. Even though it might not feel like it now, we are destined for greater things. We are God’s children. Because of that, we are gifted with certain blessings and certain responsibilities. These are intertwined and interchangeable but can also be viewed separately. Blessings are not earned and responsibilities do not receive a reward automatically. Just recognizing God’s presence is a perfect beginning. It is then through getting to know God that our love for Him can develop, growing into something greater. This will then naturally increase our faith and willingness to get even closer to Him.

It is through closeness that a wantonness for more and drive to achieve just that will develop. It is through that journey that we then become stronger.

 

Deacon Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Sunday of Lent

Lectionary: 22

Reading 1

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7

The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow
that were delightful to look at and good for food,
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
“Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?”
The woman answered the serpent:
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman:
“You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil.”
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17

R. (cf. 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Reading 2

Romans 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19

Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those who did not sin
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,
who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one, the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned.
For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation;
but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.

or

Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.

For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.

Verse Before the Gospel

Matthew 4:4b

One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Gospel

Matthew 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command that these stones become loaves of bread.”
He said in reply,
“It is written:
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God.”

Then the devil took him to the holy city,
and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus answered him,
“Again it is written,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
and he said to him, ""All these I shall give to you,
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.”
At this, Jesus said to him,
“Get away, Satan!
It is written:
The Lord, your God, shall you worship
and him alone shall you serve.”

Then the devil left him and, behold,
angels came and ministered to him.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

Today we celebrate the First Sunday of Lent. Our journey is still young, and we may still be getting used to this season or maybe contemplating what we are going to do differently this year to get the utmost out of this venture through sacrifice, prayer, and thanksgiving. If we have not yet thought of this, then maybe this should be the time while reading this, to make a commitment to our faith. It is never too late to make the adjustments necessary to achieve a spiritual experience or to make some sort of change in our thoughts or actions to change the path that we are on. This is one of the primary purposes of Lent: To unite ourselves with the crucified Christ, acknowledge our sins, and become closer with God. This becomes a unique opportunity to join the billions of people around the world, likeminded people, who are seeking the same thing. Strength in numbers can bring about a movement, which can then escort in change on the individual level and the communal level.

 

Each season of the Church has a particular purpose, which then brings about a focus that aims at both teaching us and bringing about an understanding about our faith. It is through wisdom and knowing that we become familiar with God and then we can experience Him more intimately. Lent is about the Human Jesus. This is known as Low Christology; in contrast to High Christology which focuses on the divine nature of Jesus. The Human Jesus is the one who experiences all our emotions and relates to us on the same level. He feels what we feel, specifically our pain and turmoil, with the shared experience becoming something that binds us together with Him more intimately. It is through the Human Jesus that He can suffer with us and walk the hard road of our life as our most intimate companion and friend. In response to our sorrows and suffering, He offers us His cross that He bared upon His shoulders along the way to His crucifixion at Calvary. We all have our own crosses to carrying, but it can be understood that we are not alone in our suffering and that it should be comforting to know further that our God knows what we are going through completely and can relate. He is not only watching us but is also experiencing what we are experiencing. Through this relationship forged in trial and tribulation, we have the opportunity to get closer to Jesus than we could otherwise. So impactful and important is suffering to the foundation of this unique relationship, that it can be said that to be a Christian means that we will encounter suffering in our lives because Jesus, our God, suffered and died for us. Now, it is our turn to live out our own suffering to get close to Him.

 

This is known as the Paradox of the Cross:

 

“the central Christian concept that the crucifixion, an instrument of humiliation and death, became the means of salvation, life, and divine power. It reverses human logic by finding victory in defeat, strength in weakness, and love in the midst of hostility.”

 

We, as Christians, should take joy in suffering. It is through our suffering that we become victorious. We encounter special graces and become receivers of many spiritual gifts through this process. There is an understanding that any suffering that happens here on this earth has a definite end, while Jesus Christ is eternal. Jesus suffered and died for our sins, yet then came the resurrection and eternal joy. We can experience our own sufferings, then witness our transformation as a result and the joy that waits for us on the other side of it through the Resurrected Christ. As a reminder, to get to the resurrection we must experience the crucifixion.

 

Jesus sent us a clear message today through His own actions in the Gospel Reading. After His baptism, He was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He did not have to do this. It was to show us that He understands the temptations and struggles that we go through, but that we can be victorious over them. By allowing Himself to be tempted, He joined in our own temptations and suffering. He fasted so to demonstrate that it is through sacrifice that we can become stronger and be victorious over all that opposes us in the world today. The key to our success was and always will be a relationship with Him and a rejection of all that this world has to offer. Spirituality becomes key to all successes in this world and victory through Jesus Christ.

 

It would behoove us to follow the example and message of Jesus Christ. When things are good, we should praise God. When things are bad, we should praise Him more for allowing us to live our own version of the Passion and that we are given the opportunity to be forged like gold in the furnace by the experience. The First Reading today tells the story of Original Sin, how we turned away from God by abusing our free will, and choosing to be gods ourselves. But by choosing this, we chose ultimately to turn away from God himself, choosing to pursue what we wanted to pursue and do what we wanted to do, regardless of the damage that it may have and will continue to cause in our lives. Overcoming this sad state of affairs means that we have to stop rebelling against God and return to Him with a contrite heart; one that seeks forgiveness and yearns to do better. Temptations and the allure of evil must be combatted and driven away, as we put God first.

 

Just as Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a slave, we too must humble ourselves by turning our back on everything that this physical world has to offer, instead choosing that which is divine: Jesus Christ.  When we embrace the divinity of Jesus, then our entire focus can change to a focus on that which is eternal, instead of that which has an expiration date. Through this understanding, our final destination can then be perceived.

 

Deacon Tom