Homily: Second Sunday of Lent Year A

 

Reading 1: God has appeared to Abraham several times already. In those appearances God told Abraham that he would bless him with many descendants, many blessings, and a new land to call his own.

 

Abraham was a nomad, going from place to place with his herds, seeking grazing lands and fresh water. Abraham and Sara were barren and getting up in age. So the first blessing sounded great, many descendants. Life for Abraham was difficult. Promise of many blessings was comforting. To have a land of his own that he could settle in sounded inviting.

 

What did Abraham have to do in return? Trust the Lord, especially when things didn’t happen as quickly as he would have liked. He had to first leave the security of his family and the security of the life he was accustomed to and place his security in the Lord.

 

If God would reveal some promise to us would we be willing to put our trust and security in him? But he has revealed a promise—eternal life with him, where the blessings are beyond our imagination and expectations.

 

Gospel: Jesus had invited the three disciples among others to follow him. The same basic call Abraham received, they too had to leave their comfort zone and embrace the life of a disciple and be formed by Jesus. He was preparing them for what was to come.

 

Jesus had shortly before this revealed that he was to suffer greatly at the hands of others, be crucified as a criminal but rise again in three days. This they did not want to hear. So Jesus invited the three to come aside with him for a time of prayer.

 

As part of their formation they experienced a glimpse of the promised life that Jesus had spoken of. In his transfiguration Jesus experiences the glory that was his as the Son of God. This glory would again be present when he would rise from the dead and would again be seated at the right hand of the Father. He revealed his glory to the three disciples because of the upcoming hardship he had spoken of. He does this to strengthen them.

 

This was just a passing experience, even though Peter wanted to remain there forever. They would eventually share in his glory, if they listened to him and put their trust in him. They would share in his glory, when they too shared in his passion and death by dying to sin and living more fully in him.

 

Reading 2: Jesus has saved us and called us to a life of holiness, which comes not from our works but from the grace of God. He saved us through his death and resurrection. He destroyed the death that comes from sin. He has given us a share in his own divine life through baptism and renewed and strengthened s in the Eucharist. The promise is immortality with him in eternal peace and joy.

 

Do we put our trust in God? God told Abraham to leave the security of his surroundings and trust in him. He tells us that we are to bear our share of hardship with the strength that comes from God. What is this hardship? Turning away from sin and surrendering our life to God. Can we trust that God will be sufficient for us or do we have to cling to the security of the pleasure of sin or the darkness of sin? Yes, it is the security and comfort of sin that God is asking us to walk away from and to follow him, trusting that he will provide for our needs and ultimate desires.