2ND SUNDAY OF LENT
Psalter: Week 2 / (Violet)
Ps 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19
I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
1st Reading: Gen 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
Sometime later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he answered, “Here I am.” Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I shall point out to you.” until they came to the place which God had directed them. When Abraham had built the altar and set the wood on it, he bound his son Isaac and laid him on the wood placed on the altar.
He then stretched out his hand to seize the knife and slay his son. But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” “Do not lay your hand on the boy; do not harm him, for now I know that you fear God, and you have not held back from me your only son.” Abraham looked around and saw behind him a ram caught by its horns in a bush. He offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.
And the angel of Yahweh called from heaven a second time, “By myself I have sworn, it is Yahweh who speaks, because you have done this and not held back your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the lands of their enemies. All the nations of the earth will be blessed through your descendants because you have obeyed me.”
2nd Reading: Rom 8:31b-34
What shall we say after this? If God is with us, who shall be against us? If he did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not give us all things with him? Who shall accuse those chosen by God: He takes away their guilt. Who will dare to condemn them? Christ, who died, and better still, rose, and is seated at the right hand of God, interceding for us?
Gospel: Mk 9:2-10
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain. There, his appearance was changed before their eyes. Even his clothes shone, becoming as white as no bleach of this world could make them. Elijah and Moses appeared to them; the two were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke and said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say: they were overcome with awe. But a cloud formed, covering them in a shadow, and from the cloud came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved: listen to him!” And suddenly, as they looked around, they no longer saw anyone except Jesus with them. As they came down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept this to themselves, although they discussed with one another what ‘to rise from the dead’ could mean.
Lectio Divina
Read: We are presented with the classic stories of “Akedah” (the sacrifice of Isaac) on Mount Moriah and the transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor. Both the stories deal with the theme of “son.” Paul invites us to reflect on the depths of God’s love that seeks to make us all his beloved children through his Son, Jesus.
Reflect: Did God really ask Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac? Most probably He didn’t. For the god who asks Abraham to offer up his only son is the Canaanite god – the narrative uses the word Elohim for this pantheon of gods. But the god who intervenes and prevents the sacrifice is Yahweh, the One True God. In all likelihood, Abraham, who lived among the Canaanites and was familiar with their practice of offering up children to their gods, might have been convinced that he also must do so even if Isaac was the child of the promise. Such was his trust in and love of God, which might have gladdened the One True God who saw the reflection of His own heart in Abraham – a heart that would give up anything for the sake of love.
Pray: Thank you, Lord, for loving me to the point of giving up your own Son for me.
Act: Spend some 20 minutes listening to Christ, God’s beloved Son, talking to you of his Father’s love for you.
Daily Reflection 2018
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
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