Second Sunday in Lent

March 4, 2012

Genesis 22:1-2, 9-18; Psalm 116; Romans 8:31-34; Mark 9:2-10

                Scripture lauds Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac as a show of true fidelity to God's commands. To many it makes us wonder why God would ask a father to kill his son as a sacrifice. It seems barbaric, cold-hearted, and too severe a request. The author means to stress fidelity and dependence upon God as the condition by which one gains the revered blessings of long life, prosperity, and many descendents. Such blessings show others that they are on the path to righteousness. Furthermore, this reading takes on added significance for Christians who know that while Abraham was ready to sacrifice his only son, God in fact does fully sacrifice his own son in the person of Jesus. The fidelity of Jesus to his Father, even to the point of death, is upheld in the resurrection.

          In his Letter to the Romans, Paul writes that we are to know that God is on our side, for if God does not condemn us, but acquits us, we are not to worry about any earthly adversaries. God shows his fidelity to us by handing over Jesus for us all. God already definitively proves that he will give us everything else to win us over. We not only have God on our side always ready to acquit us, but Jesus is interceding for us and pleading with God on our behalf. We have all the support we need.

          The first reading is designed to confirm for us just how much God is doing for us. In the Transfiguration, God shows the whole history of salvation when Jesus stands on the mountain with Moses and Elijah. Moses is the great lawgiver through whom we have received the divine commands to care for God, neighbor, and self. Fidelity to the law means life and prosperity. Elijah is the great inaugural prophet who exhorted the Israelites to heed the commands of God and to be faithful to the prophetic tradition. The deaths of neither of these men were reported by anyone. Speculation holds that since these men were heroically regarded they were brought to heaven before death could take them.

         

          The Transfiguration scene has Jesus conversing with the Giver of the Law and the Prophets - the two great scriptural traditions. I wonder what that conversation must have been like. It might have seemed surreal to Jesus that he was speaking to the two great men of his people's history, but when the cloud descends upon the three a voice from heaven is heard saying, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." Fidelity is linked to hearing. When we respond affirmatively to what we hear, we act faithfully. When the inner circle of the disciples heard this, they no longer saw Moses and Elijah - only Jesus. Jesus stands alone as the unique revealer of God to the people.

          As perplexing as this event was to the disciples, Jesus further confuses them by declaring they are to keep this a secret until the time he rises from the dead. Of course, they have no idea what "rising from the dead" meant. Secrets are hard to keep, but I can't imagine that they felt confident enough to speak of their experiences to their close friends and family members. They knew such a preposterous statements would have been ridiculed. In fact, it is good for us today to ponder what really happened at the resurrection. I think we fail to look at the nuances of it enough to comprehend all our questions about it. For most people, it seems like an obvious fact, but it behooves us to ponder the resurrection events so we know what it personally means for us. It is a worthwhile question to ponder as we make our Lenten journey to Easter.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading:  Rather than a linear story, the first readings this week continue to show the relationship between God and the people of Israel. The descendents of Abraham have sinned and turned away from God and they desire that God looks upon them and grants the mercy God promised in his covenant. ~ In the Book of Daniel, the people pray to God who mercifully remembers his covenant. They acknowledge they have sinned out of their own treachery and they have been scattered into other countries. Isaiah instructs people to wash away their sins and make themselves presentable to the Lord. Jeremiah tells us the people plotted against him by destroying him with his own words. He responds by cursing the one who trusts in human beings instead of God. The Lord alone probes the mind and tests the heart. Genesis begins the story of Joseph. Israel loved him best because he was the child of his old age. For their jealousy, Joseph's brothers plotted to kill him, but eventually chose the less evil path by selling him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. Micah describes God as the one who removes guilt and pardons sins. God delights in clemency and compassion. God will show faithfulness once again to the descendents of Abraham.

Gospel: In Luke, Jesus tells the people to imitate God, who is merciful, refrains from judging, forgives easily, and gives abundantly. In Matthew, Jesus warns people not to imitate the Pharisees and scribes who speak of the teachings, but privately do not follow them. As Jesus and his disciples were nearing Jerusalem, the mother of James and John approached him to ask if her sons could be seated at his right and left hand side in the kingdom. Jesus tells his friends that the proper use of authority is to serve, just as he will do when he gives his life as a ransom for many. In Luke, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and the poor Lazarus who was covered by sores and shunned by society. When the two died, the rich man saw Lazarus at the side of Abraham. He sought relief and wanted someone to go back to his family to tell them the moral of the story. Jesus told them that they still would not listen - even if the Son of God was sent among them and persuaded them that someone should rise from the dead. Jesus tells another parable in Matthew about a landowner whose rebellious servants seize his vineyard and kill the owner's son. In Luke, Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son saying that he who was lost is now found.

Saints of the Week

March 7: Perpetua and Felicity (d. 203), were two catechumens arrest and killed during a persecution in North Africa. Perpetua was a young noblewoman who was killed alongside her husband, their young son, and their pregnant slave, Felicity. They were baptized while under arrest and would not renounce their faith. Felicity was excused from death because it was unlawful to kill a pregnant woman, but she gave birth prematurely three days before the planned execution. They were flogged, taunted by wild beasts, and then beheaded. They appear in the First Eucharistic Prayer.

March 8: John of God (1495-1550), was a Portuguese soldier of fortune who was brought to Spain as a child. He was a slave master, shepherd, crusader, bodyguard and peddler. As he realized that he frittered away his life, he sought counsel from John of Avila. He then dedicated his life to care for the sick and the poor. He formed the Order of Brothers Hospitallers and is the patron saint of hospitals and the sick.

March 9: Frances of Rome (1384-1440), was born into a wealthy Roman family and was married at age 13. She bore six children and when two died in infancy, she worked to bring the needs of the less fortunate to others. She took food to the poor, visited the sick, cared for the needy in their homes. When other women joined in her mission, they became Benedictine oblates. She founded a monastery for them after her husband's death.

This Week in Jesuit History

·         Mar 4, 1873. At Rome, the government officials presented themselves at the Professed House of the Gesu for the purpose of appropriating the greater part of the building.

·         Mar 5, 1887. At Rome, the obsequies of Fr. Beckx who died on the previous day. He was 91 years of age and had governed the Society as General for 34 years. He is buried at San Lorenzo in Campo Verano.

·         Mar 6, 1643. Arnauld, the Jansenist, published his famous tract against Frequent Communion. Fifteen French bishops gave it their approval, whereas the Jesuit fathers at once exposed the dangers in it.

·         Mar 7, 1581. The Fifth General Congregation of the Society bound the professors of the Society to adhere to the doctrine of St Thomas Aquinas.

·         Mar 8, 1773. At Centi, in the diocese of Bologna, Cardinal Malvezzi paid a surprise visit to the Jesuit house, demanding to inspect their accounting books.

·         Mar 9, 1764. In France, all Jesuits who refused to abjure the Society were ordered by Parliament to leave the realm within a month. Out of 4,000 members only five priests, two scholastics, and eight brothers took the required oath; the others were driven into exile.

·         Mar 10, 1615. The martyrdom in Glascow, Scotland, of St John Ogilvie.