LENT: TEST, SACRIFICE AND GLORY: THE JOY OF RESURRECTION
Our trials or tests demand sacrifices and these in return lead us to glorious victory in Christ Jesus. This is the theology or spirituality of suffering or perseverance.
Genuine love lets go of something very precious or gives up something precious or has a price attached to it. The Gospel of John 3:16 says: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
OUR THEME
The readings of this Sunday point us to the necessary pain, suffering, and sacrifice of Lent. These lead to the renewal or transformation of our spirit, soul, and body. They invite us to be courageous when making a sacrifice for God. As our sacrifice renews God’s blessings upon us and strengthens our will to go through life bear with patience our crosses.
They assure us too that if God could make the ultimate sacrifice to save us from our human wretchedness. What will He not do to save us? Equally, who or what can be against us?
Fundamentally, the readings encourage us with the hope that there is a resurrection after the passion and death of Jesus Christ. There is victory, glory, and joy after the Lenten sacrifices.
So, the invitation of the readings of the second Sunday of Lent is to give up all to the Lord and receive whatever is given back.
FIRST READING GENESIS 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18
Abraham in the Book of Genesis 22:1-2, 9, 10-13, 15-18 did not only face a very radical trial of his faith in God or a loyalty test of his obedience to God´s order. He also has the challenge of letting go or giving the one but most precious thing in his life. What a test!
The story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his only child old age son: Isaac after a long time of waiting is the greatest trial of faith in Him. Abraham’s calmness, courage, and trust in God’s providence and the word were the basis of his unquestionable sacrifice to God. No wonder, Abraham is considered to be our father in faith.
This test or trial made his faith a trusted one by God. Above all, it made God reaffirm his covenant with him as well as befriended him as a special one for all ages. This is an indisputable fact when making an unadulterated, precious, and costly sacrifice for God. There are unimaginable blessings that come with it.
The responsorial of today’s Psalm 116 invites us to walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living trusting his providence and deliverance. The stanzas of the Psalm invite us to fulfil our vow or promise to God.
SECOND READING ROMANS 8:31-34
The Letter of St. Paul to the Romans is one of the most powerful letters to the early non-Jewish Christian communities. Communities beset with conflicting and condemning messages from the Jewish Christian communities.
Paul made it clear that despite our past life, sins, and wrongdoings once we are in God no one thing or spirit can be against us. No charge or condemnation can be brought against us. Why?
1. God’s sacrificial love made him give up his only begotten son for us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
2. There is an unequal sacrifice to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God’s only beloved Son.
3. By his sacrifice, death, and resurrection Jesus is our eternal mediator before God. Hence, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).
4. For his elected or chosen ones (us) God can and will go to any extent to save with lavish grace, mercy, blessings, and love.
IF GOD IS FOR US
St. Paul in Romans 8:31b-34 gave us the most concrete reason for self-sacrificing or self-donating love to the course of God and humanity.
If God is for us?
If no one can bring a charge against God’s chosen ones?
If God acquits us?
If He did not spare his own Son?
If Christ died for us and continues to intercede for us at God´s right hand?
Then, what can we not let go of or give up for the sake of Christ this Lent and for God´s greatest glory and salvation of humanity? THE QUESTION IS… WHAT CAN I LET GO OR GIVE UP FOR GOD THIS LENTEN SEASON?
THE GOSPEL MARK 9:2-10
In the transfiguration narrative, Jesus and three of his disciples ascend a tall mountain, where Jesus is transformed and his garments become radiant white. The voice of God comes from a cloud, identifying Jesus as the beloved Son of God and instructing the disciples to listen to Jesus.
Jesus during his public ministry preached the good news that challenged the religious status quo of his time. He taught the truth that reveals God’s love and His will for man. Thereby exposing the hypocrisy and falsity of man about what God is not. He healed, restored, and touched lives to the envy and jealousy of the religious power and authority of his time.
The price for all this was the hardest truth of all ages. The malicious, merciless, and crudest death in the hands of religious powers and authorities who felt threatened by his way of life: preaching, teaching, and healing.
Jesus realized this, hence before his transfiguration, he started predicting death and resurrection.
CONTEXT OF THE TRANSFIGURATION.
(a) Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ: the climax of Jesus’ public ministry and a turning point in the story of His life. (Matthew 16:13-20, Mark 8:27-30, Luke 9:18-21) and he cautioned that this Messianic revelation should be revealed to anyone.
(b) Second, Jesus begins to prepare the mind of his disciples of what awaits him- announcing that He must die on the cross and rise from the dead in three days (Matthew 16:21-26, Mark 8:31-37, Luke 9:22-25).
(c) This way of redemption by the cross and death was incomprehensible to the disciples. Especially, Simon Peter who rebuked Jesus for speaking of death (Matthew 16:22; Mark 8:32).
(d) Then, Jesus declares that some of those with Him will see the kingdom of God (Matthew 16:28, Mark 9:1, Luke 9:27).
(e) Six days later after the incidents near Caesarea Philippi. — Luke writes “about eight days later” (Luke 9:28) — Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with Him to a high mountain where He is transfigured before them, appearing with Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36).
(f) Therefore, the transfiguration according to many theologians and biblical experts was God, the Father’s way of showing the disciples and us. That, there is a glorious resurrection that awaits Christ after his suffering and death.
(g) The transfiguration was meant to evict the most scandalous thing – the death of God in the hands of men. Demonstrating a willing death for a course: the salvation of all through his glorious resurrection that was God’s final victory over sin, death, and evil. Thanks to the willingness of the Father to sacrifice His only Begotten Son and Son’s courage to embrace the ultimate will of the Father.
In summary, the readings of this second Sunday could be connected like this. Abraham’s sacrifice of his son Isaac is the confirmatory message of the transfiguration where God the Father is willing to sacrifice His only beloved Son Jesus Christ. By demonstrating Christ’s glory after the cross and death. The redemptive sacrifice that made live above any charges or condemnation of anyone in Christ Jesus.
OUR LESSONS
Without the sacrifices of Lent through a conscious prayer time, practical penance of denial, fasting, and abstinence as well as almsgivings to the less privileged. There can be no glory of EASTER IN US THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
There cannot and there will never be a crown without a cross, gain without pain in the Christian life. Our victory, glory, and salvation are closely tied to our willingness to sacrifice all for God and to God.
PAIN: THE PRICE OF LOVE
In the gospel, Peter despite his greatest inclination to stick to the glory of Horeb, gave it up for pain of the cross before glory. Equally too, God did not only consent to Jesus’ mission to be the lamb that takes away the sins of the world.
He generously and unreservedly donated Him to be the Saviour of humanity. The greatest price of love: self-donation or sacrifice. Mark 9:2-10
THE SPIRIT OF LENT
- The spirit of Lent is one of sacrifice. A sacrifice that leads to transformation and renewal.
- A sacrifice of Lent is the Easter joy of the resurrection. Hence, Lent invites us to renounce something precious in us: ego, desire, or things.
- It is a time of penitential sacrifice to give up something we hold dear for the sake of the gospel.
- Remember, Lent is not just a moment of prayers, penance, fasting, and almsgivings. There is a purpose why we have or do Lent. Lent is the crucible that leads to the Easter resurrection.
- As postulated by Venerable Fulton Sheen, “Unless there is a Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday”. Inferable too, we cannot get to the glory of Easter without the pain or sacrifice of Lent.
- Also as once, King David said to Araunah, “No, but I will certainly buy it from you for a price; I don’t want to offer to Yahweh my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the cattle for fifty shekels of silver”.
In conclusion, we cannot live the Lenten Season without giving up something for God, others, or ourselves. There are some personal questions we need to ask ourselves: what sacrifice am I making this Lent? What has Lent cost me?
OUR PRAYER
Almighty God Our Father, let us know that the Transfigured Christ was the Crucified Christ and eventually is also the Resurrected Christ. May we also know that the scandal of the cross is overshadowed by the glory of the resurrection. Finally, help us always and everywhere learn to offer the sacrifice that costs us all like Christ and Abraham. Amen!
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