SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Also Read: Mass Readings for 13 March 2022
First Reading: Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18
Darkness!
(6) And he believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
(12) As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.
We may be reckoned by God as righteous, but we may still be in the terrifying darkness. That is when the Lord is about to make a covenant with us!
Amen!
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 27: 1, 7-9, 13-14
Even in darkness, the Lord IS my Light!
(1)The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
(13-14) I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage, wait for the Lord!
Second Reading: Philippians 3: 17 – 4: 1 or 3: 20 – 4: 1
Citizenship like no other!
(20) Our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
(19) Their end is destruction, their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.
St. Paul has clearly stated the traits of an enemy! Well, we must not be surprised now! We are in enemy territory – this world. And if so, we must be on the watch! The Holy Spirit will guide us if we remain in communication with him always. So, those lusting after greed, pride, and other materialistic success are the minions of the accuser.
We are to “observe those who live according to the example you have in us.” (17) The fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-26) were seen in the apostles of Christ! They were saints, true! But we too can try to walk in “the way”. We may stumble, but we must not repeat the old patterns! As St Paul calls us his beloved saying: Therefore my brothers and sisters whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. (4:1)
Amen!
Gospel: Luke 9: 28-36
Transfigured in The Light!
Jesus took with him, Peter, John, and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. (28)
It is important to have good, godly people close to us, especially when we pray. Peter spoke up (33) and it is alright to speak up in the presence of Our Creator – we have our mediator Jesus Christ with us! They were terrified as they entered the cloud (34) and it is only human to be terrified in the presence of God! But they too: Peter, John, and James had a transfiguration experience! Their spirits wouldn’t have remained the same. They had seen heaven as prophesied by Christ in the earlier verse. (Luke 9:27) They knew then, that their citizenship was from Christ’s Kingdom!
But they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen. (36) There is a time to remain silent and a time to proclaim. For a little later, when Peter proclaimed that day after Pentecost (Acts2:14-36); there were about three thousand persons converted on that single day! (Acts 2:37-42) When it is the Lord’s day to work, his glory will shine brighter than the sun.
I pray that we may be transfigured in HIM! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
