Dear Friends,
As our “Not Your Typical Church Ladies” have mentioned in their podcasts for Lent, our readings this season can be difficult and challenging.
That is certainly true with our first reading this weekend from the book of Genesis. We read, after being called out by God and Abraham saying, “Here I am” that the Lord God is asking this father to do something no parent in their right mind would do. Abraham is asked to sacrifice his precious son, Issac. God was putting Abraham to the test. What a test indeed. Abraham has been consistently faithful to God. He has been responsive to all God has asked. Many questions arise to this request.
Did Abraham find, as we do, that even when we try to be faithful, tragic things still happen? We know the outcome of this unbelievable request. Abraham remains faithful, and so does God. The Lord God keeps His covenant promise that there will be numerous descendants from the lineage of Abraham.
Saint Paul in today’s reading from Romans picks up on the faithfulness of God not only to Abraham but to everyone, including ourselves. Paul says “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?”
These two readings put before us the reflection of our own calling by God, our answering that call, and how in that call/invitation, how do we further seek God? Do we have the same trust in God as Abraham? Are we willing to go forward in faith even when we don’t fully understand what might be happening? And the Gospel. Well, it isn’t Matthew 17. It is Mark 9:2 – 10. Same story of the Transfiguration but from the perspective and mind of two different Evangelists.
As we hear before each weekend mass at our parish, The Church of the Transfiguration, Peter says today, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here!” Still in our early pilgrimage of Lent, let’s ask ourselves, when in our lives might we say the same? Where have you encountered God in a way that makes you want to linger in God’s presence?
Like Abraham, like Paul, like all of God’s children, we are being called by name by the Lord. God told Peter, James and John, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Are we listening? What are we hearing?
Today, let us make room to be attentive to the Lord God and our desire to embrace another Easter!
With faith and blessings,
Father Rob