2024-Feb-25: Second Sunday in Lent

 

Welcome to our Faith sharing meeting. Today we will be discussing the readings for the Second Sunday in Lent on page 50 of our book, 'At Home with the Word 2024'.

Let us begin our faith-sharing meeting today with a prayer attributed to Pope Francis. 

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

This Lenten season let us embrace the opportunity to:

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.

Fast from anger and be filled with patience.

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

Fast from worries and have trust in God.

Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.

Fast from pressures and be prayerful.

Fast from bitterness and fill our hearts with joy.

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.

Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

Fast from words and be silent so we can listen.

We pray that our only desire and our one choice is to choose what better leads to the deepening of God's life in us.

We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Let us remember the missing members of our group. We pray for Jean that she may have a memorable family reunion. For Omega, who is scheduled to undergo a cataract operation any time soon, may Our Lord guide the surgeon's hands to heal her completely. For Keeth who is down with Covid - that she makes a quick and full recovery. Aldean for her knee injury and Scott Oswald fighting cancer. Who else shall we pray for?

Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 

The three overarching promises made by God to Abram/Abraham are
1. Abraham would be given land (Genesis 12:1)
2. From Abraham's descendants would come a great nation (Genesis 12:2; 15:2)
3. Through Abraham's descendants the whole earth would be saved (Genesis 12:3)

You will recall that Abram and Sarai left their home in Ur of the Chaldees and followed God to the land of Canaan, where he desperately waited for his progeny - but Sarai/Sarah was barren. At long last Isaac was born even though Sarah was well past conceiving age (Genesis 17:17). Issac was the only son of Abraham and Sarah, the long-awaited child through whom God’s covenant with Abraham could be realized, and now Yahweh tests Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. 

God makes the most unimaginable demand: “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you” 

For us Christians, the sacrifice of a beloved son has obvious resonance with Jesus’ death. 

This is a genuine test, and Abraham is free to decide what he will do. God neither knows nor pre-ordains how Abraham will respond.  It is a test of faith and obedience. 

Abraham passes the test when he trusts God to keep his covenant. 

All that we have, even our own lives and those of the ones most dear to us, belong ultimately to God, who gave them to us in the first place. This story assures us that God will provide and that God will be present even till the end of time.

Psalm 116

Psalm 116 is generally understood to be a thanksgiving psalm addressed to Yahweh, sung by those whose earlier lament, or prayer for help in time of trouble, had been answered. There is a well-established liturgical pattern in the Psalms, that is, in response to God’s gracious acts, the psalmists make vows to praise God and offer sacrifices of thanksgiving.  In doing so, we recognize God’s abundant gifts to us; and our worship allows us to participate ritually, symbolically, and even sacramentally in the relationship God has forged.

Romans 8:31b-34

St Paul makes a compelling argument: We know the depth of God’s love for us because God did not spare his only beloved son (8:32). The verse echoes God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 22, when the patriarch “did not spare” his only beloved son, Isaac. If Abraham’s act was the very picture of human fidelity to God, Romans 8:32 flips the script: the offering of the Son becomes the very picture of God’s fidelity to humanity. 

The death of Jesus is the assurance for us that God will fulfil all of his covenants and promises, giving us “all things” (8:32).

Moreover, sitting at God’s right hand the resurrected Jesus (along with the Spirit as St Paul tells us in the following verses) ensures that he continues to intercede for us.

Mark 9:2-10

The Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor

Pop quiz: Name the three key events in the New Testament where Jesus took along Peter, and two brothers James and John (the sons of Zebedee, also known as the Sons of Thunder)? Hint:  Mark 5:37, Mark 9:9 and Mark 14:32-42

We sometimes use the words “transfigure” and “transform” interchangeably, but there is a helpful distinction to keep in mind. When we speak of transformation we tend to mean a complete or essential change in composition or structure. However, to be transfigured is to be changed in outward form or appearance. Jesus’ transfiguration does not alter who he is but gives those who see the changed visage a new understanding of him because they see him outwardly in a different light. 

The vision the disciples behold removes the veil of Jesus’ humanness to reveal his divinity: wondrous, frightening, and powerful, connecting two of the greatest prophets Elijah, representing all Prophets, and Moses, representing the law, discussing his Heavenly glory.

Mount Horeb or Saini, distinct from Mount Tabor which is a smaller mountain in lower Galilee, are named for the Mount of Yahweh where Moses encountered God in the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-17) and Elijah encountered God who asked him why he was hiding from his mission (1 Kings 19:11-13).

Some Jews believe that both of these prophets successfully avoided death and were assumed directly into heaven, as recorded about Elijah in scripture (2 Kings 2:1-12) and Moses’ grave was never found (he was buried by God himself in Deuteronomy 34:4-7)

The power of the Transfiguration is that it plants in our hearts and minds the brilliance of the eternity of God's Kingdom in heaven, emboldening us on our Lenten journey as the body of Christ.

One more thing: Why does Peter tell Jesus,  "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

According to some Jewish expectations and as stated in the book of Zechariah the prophet (see 14:16-21), God would usher in the new age, the “Day of the Lord,” during the Feast of Tents or Feast of the Booths. This God-commanded festival kept by Jews for centuries, was considered a possible time for God’s taking control of God’s creation and beginning the age of shalom. So Peter’s question about building booths indicates he is expecting the end times to be coming and the Feast of Booths was upon them. 

Practice of faith action item for the week

1. Does anyone have anything to share from last week's action item?

2. What are the possible action items for this week?

Closing prayer of thanksgiving

It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Father Almighty (almighty God), creator of heaven and earth.
In love you made us for yourself;
and when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death,
your love remained steadfast.
You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts
and prepare with joy for the Easter feast,
that, renewed by your Word and Sacraments
and fervent in prayer and works of justice and mercy,
we may come to the fullness of grace
that you have prepared for those who love you.

Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...