Sunday Reflections: Second Sunday of Lent

LISTEN AND BE TRANSFORMED

Second Sunday of Lent (Year B)

Gen 22:1-2,9-13,15-18; Rom 8:31-34; Mk 9:2-10

image courtesy: Google

A poor illiterate man wanted to be baptized. The parish priest asked him many questions to see whether he was fit for baptism. “Where was Jesus born? How many apostles did he have? How many years did he live? Where did he die? The poor man knew nothing of all these questions. Irritated, the priest then said, “At least you know prayers like the Our Father and the I Believe”? The man again shook his head. “What do you know then?” asked the priest flabbergasted. The man explained, “Before I met Jesus I was a drunkard who beat up my wife and children; I lost my job and was wasting my life.” Then he continued, “But after encountering Jesus, I’ve quit drinking. I work hard and have begun to love my family. For me Jesus is my personal Saviour!”

Dear friends,

We are in the season of lent and we have reached the second Sunday of this season. The word of God today invites us to transform our dull and sleepy spiritual life into dynamic Christian life. How shall we do it? By listening to him. The consequence of listening is – Jesus becomes my personal saviour. 

The highlight of the transfiguration is the voice that comes from the overcasting cloud, identifying Jesus as the Beloved Son, and the mandate that follows to listen to Him.  Here again we have further endorsement of Jesus for the benefit of his disciples. Jesus is God's own dear Son. And they are to listen to Jesus even when he says things they find it hard to accept: his rejection, suffering, death – and resurrection.  

The Old Testament cloud was always the symbol of the presence of the divine majesty. No doubt the voice they heard was the voice of God.  Here again we have further endorsement of Jesus for the benefit of his disciples. Jesus is God's own dear Son. And they are to listen to Jesus even when he says things they find it hard to accept: his rejection, suffering, death – and resurrection.  No sooner had the voice spoken than the event was over.  Jesus does not want the disciples spreading the news of this event because it will not be fully comprehensible until after he has been raised from the dead. Jesus’ message is well taken since they did not comprehend the mystery nor did they understand the meaning of raising from the dead. Yet they had the message of God specially given to them and they had seen the glimpse of his divinity.

True listening requires a response from the listener, attending to what was said, recognizing its meaning, and making it part of the person’s inner, conscious experience. God speaks to us in so many ways, through persons, situations and activities. One person may barely notice a patch of blue sky, whereas the person of prayer, who listens to God, sees in it the dome of heaven.  

St. John of the Cross once pointed out that many of the people who think they are listening to God are actually only listening to themselves. We must be attentive to listen to God speaking to us. 

First of all, we need to learn to listen to what life is saying in the present moment before trying to shape our prayer. Too often we make the world just a projection of our own desires and fears.  

Second, when life gives us its message, we should make the understanding of that message as the object of our prayer. At the foundation of the prayer of life is the virtue of hope, and hope is the grace to believe that whatever events occur, they will contain the necessary ingredients of our salvation.  

Third, once we have received the message of life we must attempt to integrate it into our life. In this context the Gospel must be the focal point of our lives.  

Finally, we need to pray and listen to what God says.  We know God has no need of our prayers, in fact the very desire to pray be a gift from God.

In today's first reading, we have a beautiful example in the person of Abraham. Abraham listened to God. In other words, he obeyed God and brought blessings to him and to his descendants. In the second reading, St Paul assures us of hope for all those who listen to God in their life. He says, “If God is for us who can be against us?” 

May this hope be ours today. Let us listen to Jesus who speaks to us in our life. Let our hearts be transformed and proclaim, “Jesus is my personal Saviour!”

(You are most welcome to add your comments and reflections below)

Happy Sunday