God's Word for the Second Sunday in Lent in the Year of Faith

Introduction

As often as possible, I listen to Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle's commentaries on the weekly Sunday readings on the You Tube videos produced by Jesuit Communications.  What I find so attractive is the Cardinal's simple, joyous way of expressing the message of God.  Soon the Cardinal will participate in the papal Conclave to elect a new pope for our Holy Catholic Church.  Let's keep him and the other Cardinal's in our prayers.

This week Cardinal Tagle focuses attention on the notion of covenant as expressed through Abraham, St. Paul, and Jesus.  In short, a covenant is about the relationship between God and the person who has faith in God's promises.

First Reading: Genesis 15: 5 -12, 17-18

God told Abram to look up at the sky and count the stars.

In this reading God promises Abram descendants as numerous as the stars and a vast tract of land stretching from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River.  Both of these promises, however, seem absurd.  Both Abram and his wife Sarah are old and past their childbearing years.  Furthermore, Abram has no means of taking the land that God has promised to him.  But Abram put his faith in God.  He believed.  Abram's act of belief was accepted by God as an act of righteousness.

So the covenant was not about the progeny or the land, but a relationship between Abram and God.  Abram believed because God is a God of truth and God's word is reliable.  Abram's focus was on God even if God's words seemed impossible.  He trusted God.

Second Reading: Philippians 3: 17 - 4:1

In this reading St. Paul describes a covenant that is better than that of Abram.  It is a covenant with Jesus who promises us that he will change our lowly bodies to conform with his glorified body.  We will share in Jesus' Resurrection by way of his Passion by way of the cross.  This is a pure gift of God that we cannot merit.  We can receive it by believing in Jesus and his promise.

Gospel Reading: Luke 9: 28b - 36

According to Cardinal Tagle Jesus maintained a covenant relationship with his Father through prayer.  In this Gospel account Jesus was in prayer with three of the apostles, Peter, James, and John, who were still in shock after hearing of Jesus' prediction of his Passion.  They were near despair because they had focused on worldly ambitions and dreams. 

While in prayer a theophany happened.  Jesus' clothes became dazzling white, a sign of his covenant with his Father and a foretaste of the Resurrection.  Moses and Elijah appeared and conversed with Jesus.  And a voice was heard emanating from a cloud.  It said, "This is my chosen Son.  Listen to him."  Then there was silence.

The video is Cardinal Tagle's commentary on the Transfiguration. 

Reflection Questions

1) How can I remain faithful to God's covenant with us?

2) How can I dispose myself to listen to Jesus?