2nd Sunday of Lent
Gen. 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 26; Rom. Fil. 3:17-4:1; Lq. 9:28b-36
Read: Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory; and they were speaking of how he was due to end his life in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus: “Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; therefore, let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” – He did not know what he was saying.
As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying: “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.” And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.
Reflect: In the first Sunday of Lent, we heard about Jesus’ temptations in the desert. This reading prepares us for this Lenten period by reminding us that, if we want to benefit from the graces that Lent brings with it, we must accept, with the utmost humility, that we are vulnerable. If we are not attentive, we can fall for all the temptations which confront us. It is with Jesus that we can overcome such temptations, and the Lenten period trains us how to get back to being with Jesus.
In this second Sunday of Lent, God’s Word takes us from the desert where we faced our own reality, to a moment of prayer with Jesus on a mountain (the place of our meeting with God), where Jesus gives us a taste of his glory, in which, together with him, we are called to reach. Thus, we know our starting point and where is our destination.
Through his Church, we have just about started thinking about the Lord’s experiences in the desert, and quickly he mentions the mountain of dawn, glory, of victory; that we may not get tired, confused and lose heart. The Lord is lifting our hearts towards its final destination, towards the beauty that is awaiting us, so as to whet our appetite, encourage us, and to give sense to our present suffering.
Pray: Listen Lord to my pleas, have mercy on me and answer me. ”Come”, I said in my heart, “look out for His face”. I look out for your face, Lord. Please do not hide your face from me, do not put aside angrily your servant. You are my help, do not leave me and do not abandon me. The Lord is my salvation. I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Trust in God, be strong, let your heart be bold, put your hope in the Lord. (Psalm 26)
Act: During this Lenten period, perhaps you are saying: “I really wish to pray more ….. to love everybody ….. how I wish to become a saint.” Start praying more, start loving everybody, start being a saint by listening to Jesus and doing what he tells you. “When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone ‘..…. alone with you so that you would not be alone walking in the road of the conversion that you wish to make during Lent.