2nd Sunday of Lent(Cycle A, Year I)
Community Word:
True faith overcomes temptation.
Theme:
We overcome temptation when we listen to God’s voice.
Promise:
“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you.”(Gn 12:2)
Reflection:
On the second Sunday of our Lenten journey, we read the gospel of the Transfiguration, a unique revelation of the divinity of Jesus, witnessed by Peter, James and John. Not only did they witnessed the divine splendor and radiance of Jesus’s face and clothing, but from the cloud, they also heard the voice of God acknowledging Jesus as His beloved Son and telling them to “listen to Him,” (Mt 17:5b). For the three disciples, the experience was a clear message of faith and hope for the time when they would witness the suffering and death of Jesus, a reminder that even though they saw Jesus hanging on the cross, He would conquer death and rise again in glory.
As Jesus’ followers, we also need to be reminded that when the cross we daily carry seems to overwhelm us with our own “Calvary”, we can turn to our loving Savior(Lk 19:10) for counsel – He overcame them all. When the appeal of sin is too strong, we should rely on our Shepherd(Jn 10:27) for guidance – He will lead us to righteousness. In the midst of life’s trials and challenges, we must call on our Good Teacher(Lk 18:18) for His wisdom and help. When the storms of life appear to weaken our faith, we need to approach our Master (Mt 6:26) for His authority – His words can silence the wind and calm the waves. He will show us how to pass through these difficulties.
We hear Jesus’ voice in prayer, for the Holy Spirit communicates to us in the depths of our hearts. His message of love is revealed when we read and meditate upon His word in Scripture. And His message is revealed by the works of our fellow Christians who persevere in holiness.
When we yield to the commandments of Jesus and allow His word to take root in our heart, our lives are surely renewed and transformed. In obedience, we find the strength to fight sin and receive the grace of perseverance as we travel the road to holiness. And seeing our continuing conversion, we may inspire others to join us in the path of righteousness. Our heavenly Father will be pleased and bless us tremendously. We will hear Him say to us: “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you,”(Gn 12:2).
Prayer:
Jesus, You are God’s chosen Son. Make us always aware of Your presence in our lives. Take away the hardness from our hearts that we may hear Your life-giving word that nourishes us daily. Open the eyes of our spirit to your grace and show us your dazzling glory hidden in the routine of our daily life. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, Increase our zeal for Your kingdom and instill in us a holy desire to live for Your greater glory as you transform us into your likeness.”
Reflection Questions:
1. The kingdom of God produces transformation in those who receive new life offered by Jesus. Are you ready to let God change you with His life-giving word?
2. Do your sins, unbelief, or even your comfortable life hinder you from hearing the challenge of Christ to change your life? What will you do to overcome this?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
March 12, 2017 (Sun) – Gn 12:1-4/Ps 33:4,5,18-22/2Tm 1:8-10/Mt 17:1-9
March 13, 2017 (Mon)– Dn 9:4-10/Ps 79:8,9,11,13/Lk 6:36-38
March 14, 2017 (Tues)–Is 1:10,16-20/Ps 50:8,9,16,17,21,23/Mt 23:1-12
March 15, 2017 (Wed)–Jer 18:18-20/Ps 31:5,6,14-16/Mt 20:17-28
March 16, 2017 (Thur)–Jer 17:5-10/Ps 1:1-4,6/Lk 16:19-31
March 17, 2017 (Fri)–Gn 37:3-4,12,13,17-28/Ps 105:16-21/Mt 21:33-43,45,46
March 18, 2017 (Sat)–Mi 7:14,15,18,20/Ps 103:1,2,3,4,9-12/Lk 15:1-3,11-32
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
