SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

v On the First Sunday of Lent, we contemplate Jesus tempted, and at the same time how he affirms the dominion of God over all, we shall submit only to Him. 

v Next Sunday we will have a glance to the glory of Jesus, the son the beloved, to  whom we have to listen. 

v THE BOOK OF GENESIS

« In the Liturgy of the First Sunday of Lent, the first Reading was taken from the 2nd and 3rd chapters of the Book of Genesis. 

« The first 11 chapters of the book of Genesis are not historical, in the way the events are narrated. 

« However they are also historical in the sense that they try to explain the process of creation, the reality of sin and temptation.

« Using a symbolic language full of images they transmit to us a theological reflection on these realities.  

« In the liturgy of the Second Sunday of Lent, the first reading is taken from chapter 12 of Genesis. 

o   From chapter 12 on there is a change in perspective in the book of Genesis 

o   The first 11 chapters show us the work of God, who gives without measure and seeks men and women repeatedly.

o   At the same time these chapters also tell us how men and women respond to the generosity of God by sinning and following the temptation of Paradise “you will be like gods”. Men and women turn away from God, their creator, to follow their own ways of sin and corruption. 

o   In chapter 12 God intervenes again, doing something new. Like in creation when God called man to existence now he calls another man. This man will accept the call and will obey the God of the Mountain, as he calls Him, “El Shaddai” אל שדי. The God of the patriarchs, which is the same God of Moses  YHWH, the only God.  The translation of El Shaddai is God Almighty. 

o   With Abram a new stage begins in human history,  in the  relationship of the human being with its creator.

FIRST READING Gn  12, 1-4

o   The Lord tells Abram to leave the land of his kinsfolk and from his father’s house and go to a land that the Lord will show him.  

§  He is asked to leave without knowing the destination, with the sole trust in the word of the God who spoke to him from the mountain  

o   God makes 7 promises to Abram  

§  I will make of you a great nation 

§  I will bless you 

§  I will make your name great  

§  So that you will be a blessing 

§  I will bless those who bless you  

§  I will curse those who curse you  

§  All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you. 

o   Abram leaves as God has asked him 

§  His reaction to the word of God is completely different from that of the first fathers: Adam and Eve, the people of Noah’s time and  the people of the tower of Babel. These did not obey the word of God, Abram goes forth as God has told him, he does not know where, but he trusts the word of the Lord God Almighty

§  Thus he will be a blessing and not a curse as our first fathers were. 

§  A new adventure begins for the human race.

SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY

Ø  The letters to Timothy are considered “deutero-paulines”. The name deutero is given to a group of letters which scholars think have not been written by Paul but by some of his disciples.  

Ø  The Letter to Timothy seems to have been written after the death of Paul. 

Ø  This letter belongs  also to the group of letters called Pastoral letters, which are letters addressed to Bishops: Titus and Timothy who had been collaborators of Paul in his ministry. 

« God has called us to a life of holiness. Holiness is to live our life according to the will of God. 

« We have seen   the answer of Abram to the call of God. 

« We have been called to a life of holiness in Christ Jesus. 

« The Father has called us to this holiness of life before the creation of the world. 

« Christ has brought  us salvation and immortality by despoiling death of its power.

GOSPEL  Mt. 17,1-9

« Jesus takes Peter, James and John and goes with them to pray on Mount Tabor.   .

« This mount is found in Galilee  

« Matthew says, “He was transfigured in their presence.”  

« His face was radiant as the sun, and his clothes were white. All these symbols are symbols of the divinity, of the presence of God.  

« Jesus is not only filled with the presence of God, but Jesus is God himself. On the mountain, he allows his disciples to have a glimpse to who he really is. These same three apostles will witness his extreme weakness on another mountain the Golgotha. 

« Two characters Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the prophets) speak with him.  We are not told what they speak about,  another of the Gospels  says that they speak of his passion and death.    

« Peter and the others as well, are amazed and beside themselves, they feel so good. How good it is to be here! Like us when we have had an experience of God, no matter how small, how simple; when we feel looked with love and tenderness by Him, as St. Paul II says, we can but follow him.  

« Peter wants to remain there, but this will not be possible, he will have to come down, keep living his life following his Master, carrying his own cross like all of us do. He will have the memory of this experience which will help him to continue his journey.         

« The text says that a cloud covered them. In the Old Testament, the presence of God is symbolized or described as a cloud that covers everything.  Thus, the presence of God surrounded them and they were afraid.  

« An author says that the presence of God captivates us but at the same time, we are afraid like it happened to them. 

« God calmed them saying “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” In the French Bible instead of saying “I am well pleased” it says “in whom I find my joy.”  

« Peace comes back to them when Jesus speaks and says “Do not be afraid…” Jesus words calm their hearts and fill them with peace.

« Jesus says to us the same words “do not be afraid…” in spite of your sins, of the difficulty you find in forgiving others, your bad inclinations, your bad temperament, your lack of tenderness…. (each one may complete this list.) Do not be afraid I am with you. Is not my name I AM (YHWH)?