2nd Sunday of Lent Yr B, Feb 25, 2024
Readings
1st: Genesis 22:2,9a,10-13, 15-18
2nd: Rommans 8:31b-34
Gospel: Mark 9:2-10
Theme: Wake Up To The Glory Of The Lord
My dear people of God, today is 2nd Sunday of Lent. Our reflections would focus on the gospel. Life is a constant tension between our aspirations somewhere in the stars and our reality somewhere in the mud. Every year the first two Sundays of Lent usually present that whole range of human existence. A week today, Jesus was tempted in the desert, an experience that all of us have to go through, young or old, rich or poor. In other words, temptations have no respect for who, what and where you are. Temptations come anytime, anywhere, anyhow. Often you are still grappling with one and a worse one arrives. Today's gospel, on the other hand, holds out Jesus' starry transformation in glory. We have already looked at one great moment when he asks the disciples who they believe him to be (Lk 9:18-21) Suffice to say he had just moved from the valley of tears to the Mount of glory. He had labored tirelessly for three years then. It is only proper to know if anyone had come to any knowledge of his true identity. The unmediated response of Peter who, like many of us, always talk before thinking, opens a foreseen gate to another step in Jesus' life - a resolute turn towards Jerusalem and to the Cross. Typical of him, Jesus did nothing without first seeking the approval of the Father. This is precisely the scene today's gospel presents to us. Biblically titled "The Transfiguration", this prayerful encounter with the Father is related by all the three synoptic gospels - Matthew, Mark & Luke. What really happened on the Mount of Transfigiration we can never fully know but we do know that something tremendous did happen - that Jesus had gone there to confide and confirm with the Father the decisive step he was about to take (to Jerusalem). That He (Jesus) took with him Peter, John and James was not an act of favouritism (even if he has severally done so) but for a unique purpose - Peter because he was the appointed head of the future Church; John because he was the beloved disciple; James because he was to be the first apostle to shed his blood for the gospel. Yes, privileges go with responsibilities, and rightly so.
All the synoptic gospels agree that Moses (the embodiment of the Law) and Elijah (representative of all the prophets) suddenly appeared and engaged Jesus in an intimate conversation shortly after which a heavy cloud overshadowed them, followed by a voice from above, which not only disclose the divine sonship of Jesus but also gave an unambiguous instruction that the world should listen to him.There is a vivid sentence in the narrative about the three apostles who also represented the future Church. "....When they were fully awake, they saw his glory". It is from this sentence that our theme is formulated. In the entirety of life we often miss so much because our minds are sometimes asleep, in fact, in times we are supposed to be awake. There could be a number of factors that account to that attitude. The syndrome of prejudice: We may be so set in our own ideas that our minds are shut. A new idea knocks at the door but we are like sleepers who never awake. At our own time people come to Church already full with their own ideas to a sad extend that even God cannot add anything new to them. Others shut their minds (mentally fast asleep) as soon as they bump into a particular priest/pastor on the Altar as the main celebrant. There is also a mental lethargy. Many a Christian refuse the strenuous struggle of thought. They shy away from the mental burden of thinking things out and thinking them through. "An unexamined life does not worth living". (Plato). There is yet the love of ease. There is a kind of defence mechanism in us that makes us automatically shut the door against any disturbing thought. A man can drug himself mentally until his mind is sound asleep. The "talk before thinking Peter" was up again, as if he must necessarily say something. Inherent in his pseudo concern to erect three tents is the ungrateful and selfish desire to remain on the "Mount of glory" and forget about the remaining nine apostles still in the "valley of tears". This is typical of all of us. We easily forget our own immediate suffering past. We are often too quick to confuse grace with merits. The bare truth of life is that no one can truly be a candidate of any merit before God. Ingratitude is dangerous. We pray for grace to stay always awake so that we can clearly see the glory of God even in matters of minor importance. Remember to continue to Pray, Fast and Love/Share. Make time also to pray the Holy Rosary daily. May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. God richly bless you and your family.
Rev. Fr. Thomas L. Debuo, Catholic Diocese of Damongo (0244511306/0243711926)