Second Sunday of Lent

Peter H. Davids

Lent • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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The primary way God reveals himself to us is through Jesus. Abraham shows the pattern of direct revelation and personal covenant. In the transfiguration we have transformation on a mountain, as with Moses, and the prophetic voice of God as with Elijah, but both the Torah mediator and the prophetic evangelist talk with Jesus about Jesus' exodus (the covenant in his body). When God appears (parallel to the Abraham story) he says Jesus my son my chosen is the one to listen to. Thus we should focus on meditating on and listening to Jesus through the gospels and eucharistic adoration, for that is part of the process of transforming us into his likeness that Paul talks about.

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With Faces Unveiled and Ears Listening

Outline

How does God relate to human beings?

If you were an atheist, you would say, In no way, since he does not exist

If you were agnostic, you would properly say, I do not know if or how he does, although sometimes this is connected with spiritual practices

Those spiritual practices are very important to many Americans, although they may be very eclectic, as the book Strange Rites demonstrates.

For some Christian groups God speaks through prophets or an apostle, often the pastor of the church; others are more focused on angelic visitations or perhaps appearances of the saints.

Our texts suggest that while saints and angels and even prophetic individuals may sometimes be used, the main means of revelation for Christians is God’s own self and in particular Jesus, the incarnate God.

Look at our Genesis reading first

God communicates directed to Abraham in a number of ways, which will include the three visitors in chapter 18, but our reading he is literally “cutting the [basic] covenant” with Abraham.

God has made promises and Abraham trusts God.

To confirm his covenant God gets Abraham to split the animals and wait. Normally both parties to the covenant would go between the parts, bringing a curse on either party if they violated the covenant. This covenant will be unilaterally ratified by God.

God comes, but only with waiting, with a dark dread and an experience like sleep falling on Abraham, and then a smoking fire pot and/or a flaming torch indicating God’s presence between the pieces.

God was there. Abraham knew it. But it was in obscurity - Abraham, as Moses later, was shielded

Contrast that with the Transfiguration

After the confession of Jesus as Lord and Messiah, Jesus takes three witnesses with him up a mountain to pray. One wonders if this happened often when he prayed alone? Moses has lesser, but parallel experiences.

During prayer Jesus becomes transformed, like the glorified body Paul talks about in Philippians. The disciples could see who he was and, perhaps unknowingly, what they would be.

The greatest OT God-knower, Moses, and the greatest OT God’s-works-doer appear talking with Jesus and - this is a Lukan touch - discuss Jesus’ exodus in Jerusalem

Notice that Peter and co were sleepy, like Abraham, at experiencing the numinous, but the vision “woke” them

Peter suggests that they were there, not as witnesses, but as servants, and shrines or the beginnings of an eschatological HQ should be built.

God speaks - Peter and co fear - and says, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” “We do not need your help; we do not need your suggestions. I brought you here to burn into you the reality of who Jesus is. Shut up and listen and, of course, obey.”

They shut up and in fact did not speak of it until after the resurrection.

Sisters, this speaks to me and I trust to you

God has “cut a covenant” with us in Jesus, only it was Jesus who was God who was cut.

We are destined to transformation, to be like his glorified body - that is part of the promise of the covenant

What we want is to hear and see him, which is one reason that adoration is so important, although Jesus is perfectly capable to speaking to us in other times and places and manners if our hearts are open.

Angels and saints, including Mary, are nice to experience, if God so chooses, since he chooses the best for us, but realize that they point beyond themselves to Jesus,

But the result of any experience of Jesus should be greater obedience, deeper discipleship, a transformation into the image of our Lord.

So with Pope Francis I suggest carrying a pocked gospels with you and reading it often, for transformation does not happen just at high points, but also through constant meditation.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 3-13-2022: Second Sunday of Lent

FIRST READING

Genesis 15:5–12, 17–18

5 He took him outside and said: Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so, he added, will your descendants be. 6 Abram put his faith in the LORD, who attributed it to him as an act of righteousness.

7 He then said to him: I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession. 8 “Lord GOD,” he asked, “how will I know that I will possess it?” 9 He answered him: Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 He brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. 11 Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram scared them away. 12 As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great, dark dread descended upon him.

17 When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates,

Catholic Daily Readings 3-13-2022: Second Sunday of Lent

RESPONSE

Psalm 27:1a

1 Of David.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge;

of whom should I be afraid?

PSALM

Psalm 27:1, 7–9, 13–14

1 Of David.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge;

of whom should I be afraid?

7 Hear my voice, LORD, when I call;

have mercy on me and answer me.

8 “Come,” says my heart, “seek his face”;

your face, LORD, do I seek!

9 Do not hide your face from me;

do not repel your servant in anger.

You are my salvation; do not cast me off;

do not forsake me, God my savior!

13 I believe I shall see the LORD’s goodness

in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD, take courage;

be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!

Catholic Daily Readings 3-13-2022: Second Sunday of Lent

SECOND READING

Option A

Philippians 3:17–4:1

17 Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us. 18 For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied with earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.

CHAPTER 4

1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.

Catholic Daily Readings 3-13-2022: Second Sunday of Lent

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 17:5

5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

GOSPEL

Luke 9:28b–36

28 About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As they were about to part from him, Peter 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.” But he did not know what he was saying. 34 While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” 36 After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 3-13-2022: Second Sunday of Lent

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2022 | LENT

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

YEAR C | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Genesis 15:5–12, 17–18

Response Psalm 27:1a

Psalm Psalm 27:1, 7–9, 13–14

Second Reading Philippians 3:17–4:1 or Philippians 3:20–4:1

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 17:5

Gospel Luke 9:28b–36

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