Changed for Love

2nd Sunday of Lent  25 February 2018

First reading: Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He 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 that I shall show you.” When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”      Second reading:  Romans 8:31-34 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Gospel: Mark 9:2-10 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.

Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.

Reflection
by Carlo Alexis Malaluan

The scriptures point out to the Transfiguration of our Lord. Peter, James and John experience the Transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus took these three men up to the top of a mountain. When they arrived there, Jesus was transfigured before them. 

The gospel today highlights two important things: change and love.

In the gospel, first, we can see how the Lord “changed” in appearance.  His clothing became dazzling white and then Elijah and Moses appeared and began conversing with Him. This proves that Jesus is not only truly human but also truly divine. Second, we can see the “change” among the disciples. They might have doubts about Jesus, there might be some uncertainties about their faith in Him but this blessed encounter “changed” not only their views but their hearts forever. They have been filled with great awe. They will not see Jesus the way they have seen Him before. Their faith is reinstated, their trust is strengthened.

The second point is that the gospel speaks of love. The Father announced to the disciples, This is my beloved Son! We are all the time God’s favoured ones – it’s ourselves that miss out on it. We live in the big wide world of God’s love, and Jesus on Tabor was allowing Himself be loved in the radiant light of God, shining even in the cloud. Together we are loved. Light is caught from one to the other.

This leaves us a challenge. We are the light of Tabor mountain for each other. All are loved. The one I like and don’t like! We must change the way we look at others. May we remind ourselves that we do not need to see a “shining light” to see Jesus in others. The poverty, the misery, the bitterness of sufferings must not hinder our eyes from seeing the Lord. Secondly, we cannot let love die. We are loved by God as the Father loved Jesus. We are also called to love the unlovely, the lonely, the suffering. The gospel foresees the upcoming death of our Lord. The radiant body of Christ was hammered and killed later by ourselves. But the love killed at Calvary rose again. Love cannot die. We must continue to love the way Jesus loved us.

We must change the way we see others. We must love others as the Father loves Jesus.

Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of Your love. Allow me to change myself that I can bring the change You want me to bring. Allow me to love you  that I can love Jesus in my brothers each day more. Amen.