08/03/2009 - 2nd. Sunday in Lent - B
1st. Reading Gen 22, 1-2.9.10-13.15-18 Psalm 115 2nd. Reading
Rom 8,31-34 Gospel Mk 9,1-9
When we start praying by saying: "Father" we are to employ our heart
above all. This word helps us to put on an attitude that at the same time is
that of thankfulness, humility, trust, love, holy pride and more. It is a word
that transforms us, that helps us on our on going conversion, and at the same
time it makes us experience those feelings of being witnesses to all those who
see us or watch us praying it. Jesus himself used this same word at the opening
of his prayer. The few times that the evangelists tell us of the words used
by Jesus in prayer, they say that he used to start by saying: "Father",
or even so, "my Father" or Papa'! He was not shy to show his affectionate
love and trust to God even though with humility. This attitude of being little,
like a child, before God, is not to be understood wrong. The more we feel that
Jesus is greater than us, the more we are to feel him near, accompanying us
on our way. There is no place for shyness. We, who have a high opinion of ourselves,
find it hard to learn from him, to start our prayer by saying: "Father"
or "papa": pride is the sin that nests in our being and impedes us;
we are afraid that someone might see our love and trust. We fall into pride
and prejudice. I advise you to do it: when you pray, even with your family,
do not be afraid to say a prayer of praise or worship, or petition from your
heart and saying "Father". Your prayer will be more beautiful for
you and for the others, but above all for the same God and Father: it serves
as a witness of his presence with you and as a witness of your love for him.
The prayer of the heart is truer because to meet with the God of love, prayer
needs to express and manifest one's love.
We continue to prepare ourselves to renew our baptismal promises during the
Easter Vigil. While several will be baptized during that holy vigil, we too
will renew our rejection of Satan and renew our belonging to Jesus, the Christ
our Master. St. Paul tells us of God's love, a love that cannot finish because
he is committed to give Jesus "for all of us". God did it to justify
and to save us. We are not to fear anyone, there are no more enemies that can
overcome God's love has for us in Jesus!
The words of the apostle lead us to the listening of the other two reading:
Abram is ready to offer his son to God as a sacrifice, and Jesus speaks with
Moses and Elijah on the salvation programmes that the Father had shown them
and want to fulfill in him.
The journey of Abram with his only son Isaac towards the mountain is a prophetic
journey that is fulfilled in Jesus, but that certainly repeats itself even in
our journey towards the end, towards the embrace of the Father. Abram receives
all from God. In return Abram gives back to God everything. In that <all>
there is not only his life, but also the life of his only son, a son so much
wanted and waited for many long years. At first glance, God's request seems
cruel, but after seeing how the whole episode continues, we see how great and
providing is God's love. Thanks to that call, the fatherly love of Abram for
his son is purified from every egoism and becomes a spiritual love, because
the son remains God's gift for every day of his life.
Jesus goes up the mountain with his disciples who are able to hear and to see.
On the mountain he speaks with Moses and Elijah, the two great representatives
of God to the people and of the people to God. They had suffered immensely to
exercise their mission of guide and prophet, up to the point of wanting death.
Jesus speaks with them about his offering that he was to present to the Father.
He is the Only Son, beloved Son of God, who fulfills the prophetic sign of Abram:
he is the Lamb of God that was to be slain in place of every other son of man.
The voice that the three disciples hear from heaven guarantee that the Father
has accepted the offer of the Son, of Jesus, and thanks to it, he fulfills the
design dreamt off by the two that appeared with him. The words from heaven recall
the episode lived by Abram: the beloved son who fulfills love was not Isaac,
but is Jesus. He reveals it to his own while they were coming down from the
mountain, the mountain of prayer and of meeting with God.
In three months time we will renew our baptismal promises: what does this mean?
It means that we want to have a share in the life of Jesus, a share in all of
his life, which is an offering to God for men. Having a share in the life of
Jesus by offering ourselves to God, and this we do everyday through the little
or big choices as fruit of faith, love, and from love back to faith. We wont
be afraid if we have to suffer because even him, Jesus, suffered, and we wont
have fear because when we join him, God himself would be on our side, as st.
Paul assures us.