This Is
My Son, the Beloved - Listen to Him!
Introduction: May you come to more fully
appreciate, and respond to, the great love that GOD has for you as manifested in
the Covenant Relationship.
As youngsters, we might have
seen Jesus as the great Judge. After all, when we prayed the Creed, we said, “He
will come to judge the living and the dead.” Probably we pictured GOD the Abba-Father as the One Who recorded
all our offenses. Jesus was then the Judge who pronounced the sentence. We would
have to be on trial for all our wrongdoings and we would not easily escape from
the punishment that would be imposed.
Today’s Second Reading gives
us a different view of Jesus. He is seen not as the Judge or even the prosecuting
attorney. Rather He is, first of all, our defense attorney. Secondly, as our crimes
(sins) are enumerated, Jesus stands up and proclaims that the case against us must
be dismissed because He, Himself, has wiped out the evidence against us and has
paid full restitution for all wrongs we have done. He moves that we must be found
acquitted of all charges because He has taken care of everything for us.
What a powerful imagery! What a wonderful GOD! We can only just begin to give thanks for all that Jesus has done for us. And if we accept what He offers in the New Covenant Relationship, we will have all eternity to thank Him and His Abba, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
Sacrifice, covenant promises, and redemption are “covenant-relationship” themes that run through our readings today. In the First Reading, Abraham, in complete obedience to GOD, is willing to sacrifice his son. Because of Abraham’s willingness to obey, the covenant promises to make him the ancestor of many nations is renewed. The psalm is a response to offering a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to GOD. Saint Paul writes to the Christians of Rome proclaiming the redemption that has been achieved through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Gospel relates Jesus’ transfiguration on a mountaintop, where He converses with Moses and Elijah, and GOD the Abba-Father voices the divine pleasure in Jesus and His ministry.
First Reading:
Genesis 22:1-2,9-13,15-18
The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith
Commentary: Every parent must be moved by this terrible
and touching story. How could a parent do such a thing? And the boy was Abraham’s
last hope for the survival of his family, granted to him to fulfil God’s promise.
The narrative becomes slower as they approach the point. Note how Isaac is allowed
to carry the wood, but Abraham carefully carries anything on which the child might
hurt himself, the fire and the knife. One can imagine the jaunty boy trotting along
beside dad, bouncing questions at him, and dad’s monosyllabic answers as he nears
the moment he dreads. Yet he trusted in God right up to the brink of disaster, somehow
confident that God would rescue him from this terrible deed. As Paul stresses, it
was not anything Abraham did that justified him, not his obedient action, but his
total trust in God. Can I claim such total trust in God’s love?
The tradition of the Church sees in this
tragic story a ‘prequel’ of God’s offering his only, beloved Son for the salvation
of the human race, a mysterious preparation for that supreme offering that we celebrate
at Easter. The goal of this season of Lent is kept before our eyes as we advance
along the way.
Responsorial
Psalm 116:10,15-19
I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
The psalm is a response to offering a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to GOD. The key phrases for us in today’s psalm are verses 16 and 17. We see in them Jesus’ prayer to His Abba-Father: “O LORD, I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid; You have loosed my bonds. To You will I offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.” Jesus sees His covenant relationship with His Abba as one of being an obedient servant. In His complete obedience to His Abba, He offers the perfect sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving, and redemption.
Second Reading:
Romans 8:31-34
God did not spare his own Son
Commentary: Paul reflects on God’s love: if God loved
us sufficiently to deliver up his son for us, there is no limit to his love. Paul
begins the letter by exposing the human race as mired in sin. Of this the sin, the
disobedience of Adam – and ‘Adam’ means ‘man’ in Hebrew – is the symbol. Then Paul
shows that the perfect, loving obedience of the Second Adam, Christ, to his Father
unravels our disobedience, and set us steady again in God’s love. The Cross is the
supreme act of love: Jesus loves his Father even to death. God accepts this death
out of love for the human race. Nothing, continues Paul, can separate us from this
love, neither life nor death nor human nor superhuman powers. As an example of this
love, he then shows how even the Jews who rejected Jesus remain God’s beloved people.
In the end they too will be saved by that love.
Gospel:
Mark 9:2-10
This is my Son, the Beloved
Commentary: As the time of the Passion approaches the
foreboding of the disciples grows. Jesus sustains them by this vivid experience
of his more than natural nature. On the holy mountain of revelation, they see him
transformed. It was a real visual experience, though described in symbols familiar
from the Bible, brilliant white clothes, and so on. Moses and Elijah are seen there
because they also experienced the vision of God on the holy mountain. For Moses,
this was at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, for Elijah in the cave of Mount
Horeb. The disciples were frightened, confused, and overcome by the awesome experience,
and yet comforted in a way that made Peter want to prolong it. This will later be
the rare reaction of Christian mystics, a reassuring terror and a frightening homeliness,
the awareness of a presence that is at the same time awesome and comforting, an
experience that cannot fully be put into words. The Voice from Heaven is an echo
of the Voice at Jesus’ Baptism. There, however, it was addressed to Jesus, whereas
here it is spoken to the disciples, proclaiming Jesus as an authorized teacher,
the extension of that same divine voice.
Reflection: What can blind us or keep us from recognizing
God's glory and presence in our lives? Sin and unbelief for sure! Faith enables
us to see what is hidden or unseen to the naked eye. Through the eyes of faith,
Abraham recognized God and God's call on his life. He saw from afar not only what
God intended for him, but for his descendants as well - an everlasting covenant
of friendship and peace with the living God. Abraham is the father of faith because
he put his hope in the promises of God. Faith makes us taste in advance the light
of God's glory when we shall see him face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2).
The Lord Jesus reveals his glory
in fulfilling his Father's will
Are you prepared to see God's glory? God
is eager to share his glory with us! We get a glimpse of this when the disciples
see Jesus transfigured on the mountain. Jesus' face changed in appearance and his
clothing became dazzling white (Mark 9:2,3).
When Moses met with God on Mount Sinai
the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God (see Exodus 34:29).
Paul says that the Israelites could not look at Moses' face because of its brightness
(2 Corinthians 3:7). In the Gospel account Jesus appeared in glory with Moses, the
great lawgiver of Israel, and with Elijah, the greatest of the prophets, in the
presence of three of his beloved apostles - Peter, James, and John.
What is the significance of this mysterious
appearance? Jesus went to the mountain knowing full well what awaited him in Jerusalem
- his betrayal, rejection, and crucifixion. Jesus very likely discussed this momentous
decision to go to the cross with Moses and Elijah. God the Father also spoke with
Jesus and gave his approval: This is my beloved Son; listen to him. The Father glorified
his Son because he obeyed. The cloud that overshadowed Jesus and his apostles fulfilled
the dream of the Jews that when the Messiah came the cloud of God's presence would
fill the temple again (see Exodus 16:10, 19:9, 33:9; 1 Kings 8:10; 2 Maccabees 2:8).
Jesus is the True Temple come down from heaven who reveals the glory of God to us
(John 1:14 and John 2:19, Matthew 12:6), and who opens the way for us to worship
the living God in spirit and truth (John 4:21-26).
The Lord wants to share his glory
with each of us
The Lord Jesus not only wants us to see
his glory - but he also wants to share this glory with us. And Jesus shows us the
way to the Father's glory: follow me - obey my words - take the path I have chosen
for you, and you will receive the glory and blessings of my Father's kingdom - your
names will be written in heaven (Luke 10:20).
Jesus succeeded in his mission because
he willingly went to Calvary (where he offered up his life for us on the cross),
so that Paradise (our true dwelling place with God) would be restored to us once
again. He embraced the cross to obtain the crown of glory that awaits each one of
us. If we hope to share fully in his glory, we, too, must follow him on the way
to the cross - by dying to sin and embracing his will for our lives. This is the
only true path that leads to everlasting peace and joy with God.
Origen (185-254 AD), an early church Scripture
scholar and writer, describes how we are changed and transformed into Christ's likeness
as we look to him day by day with faith and honesty and strive to walk according
to the light of his truth and righteousness (moral goodness):
"When he is transfigured, his face
also shines as the sun that he may be manifested to the children of light who have
put off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light and are no longer the
children of darkness or night but have become the sons of day and walk honestly
as in the day. Being manifest, he will shine unto them not simply as the sun, but
as demonstrated to be the sun of righteousness." [Commentary on Matthew 12:37
by Origen]
Stay awake spiritually - Don't miss God's glory and action
Luke's Gospel account tells us that while
Jesus was transfigured, Peter, James, and John were asleep (Luke 9:32)! Upon awakening
they discovered Jesus in glory along with Moses and Elijah. How much do we miss
of God's glory and action because we are asleep spiritually? There are many things
that can keep our minds asleep to the things of God: Mental lethargy and the "unexamined
life" can keep us from thinking things through and facing our doubts and questions
in the light of Christ's truth. The life of ease can also hinder us from considering
the challenging or disturbing demands of Christ to forsake all for him and his kingdom.
Prejudice can make us blind to something new the Lord may have for us. Even sorrow
can be a block until we can see past it to the glory of God.
How spiritually awake are you to Christ's
presence and word of life for you? Peter, James, and John were privileged witnesses
of the glory of Christ. We, too, as disciples of Christ are called to be witnesses
of his glory. We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being
changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from
the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Lord wants to reveal his glory
to us, his beloved disciples. Do you seek his presence with expectant faith, reverence,
and willing obedience?
Lord Jesus, keep me always alert and awake
to you, to your word, your action, and your daily presence in my life. Let me see
your glory.
Daily Quote from the Early Church
Fathers: The transfiguration
of Jesus, by Jerome (347-420 AD)
"Do you wish to see the transfiguration
of Jesus? Behold with me the Jesus of the Gospels. Let him be simply apprehended.
There he is beheld both 'according to the flesh' and at the same time in his true
divinity. He is beheld in the form of God according to our capacity for knowledge.
This is how he was beheld by those who went up upon the lofty mountain to be apart
with him. Meanwhile, those who do not go up the mountain can still behold his works
and hear his words, which are uplifting. It is before those who go up that Jesus
is transfigured, and not to those below. When he is transfigured, his face shines
as the sun, that he may be manifested to the children of light, who have put off
the works of darkness and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12). They are no
longer the children of darkness or night but have become the children of the day.
They walk honestly as in the day. Being manifested, he will shine to them not simply
as the sun but as he is demonstrated to be, the sun of righteousness." (excerpt
from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 12.37.10)
“SHALL I GIVE MY FIRST-BORN?”
(SEE MI 6:7)
“Take your son, Isaac, your only one, whom
you love…” —Genesis 22:2
God the Father asked Abraham to sacrifice
his only son, the one whom he loved (Gn 22:2). God the Father did Himself what He
asked Abraham to do. For the Father, Jesus was His “Isaac,” His only Son, His well-beloved
(Mk 9:7). Nonetheless, the Father did sacrifice Jesus, “His Beloved” (Mt 17:5).
God spared Abraham and Isaac, yet He “did
not spare His own Son but handed Him over for the sake of us all” (Rm 8:32). Scripture
says that God “laid upon [Jesus] the guilt of us all” (Is 53:6). Just as Abraham
had laid the wood upon Isaac’s shoulders (Gn 22:6), God the Father allowed the wood
of the cross and the sins of the world to be laid upon His Son’s shoulders.
Therefore, realize to the depths of your
soul that God is for you. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rm 8:31) God
the Father so loves you that He sent His only Son, that by believing in Jesus, you
might have eternal life with Him in heaven (Jn 3:16). What God asks of you is to
surrender your all to Him (Lk 10:27). Yet God first gave His all to you, His very
heart, His Son Whom He loved (Mk 9:7).
Therefore, love the Lord with all your
heart, soul, strength, and mind (Lk 10:27). Give your life generously to Him Who
has given so generously to you.
Prayer: Father, You have never held anything
back from me. Show me what I am holding back from You. I beg for the grace to give
everything to You. “My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all His people.”
—Ps 116:18. Praise and honor to You, Lord Jesus! You take us to the desert to speak
to our hearts (Hos 2:16). We offer You our lives as a sacrifice of praise (Ps 50:23).
The personal action for today: When I think of the sacrifice
Jesus endured in order to make me holy and free me from my sins (as GOD had promised),
how do I feel? Do I see GOD as the judge, the jury, the prosecuting attorney, or
the defense attorney in reference to my being on trial for my offenses? How can
I help others come to “know” (be in relationship with) GOD Who gifts them with the
overwhelming love of GOD? In what ways can I use to help others experience the covenant
relationship that GOD is offering us?