Spirit Aflame

Thought of the Day March 6, 2020 Motive behind what we do

By spiritaflame 9:55 AM Thought of the Day

Thought of the Day March 5, 2020 Authentic prayer

By spiritaflame 10:19 AM Thought of the Day

Homily Second Sunday of Lent Year A Trust

By spiritaflame 1:07 PM Homily

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.

Thought of the Day March 4, 2020 The Word of God

By spiritaflame 11:13 AM Thought of the Day

Reflection on Scripture Second Sunday of Lent Gospel A Listen to him

By spiritaflame 10:26 AM Reading Reflections

Second Sunday of Lent Gospel A

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
· Why these three? Over the course of time they became Jesus’ inner circle. They will be invited by Jesus to go aside with him in the Garden to pray. They were the first to be ch
chosen as disciples. Why Andrew was not included, we don’t know.

And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.
· Put yourself in the place of the three. What do you think you would have thought or felt at this sight? What would be your initial response?

And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.
· Moses represented the Law and Elijah the prophets. Jesus had said that he would fulfill the Law and the Prophets.
· What do you think they were saying to Jesus? Probably, talking about his upcoming suffering and death.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
· How we would want the joy of the present moment to last forever! Peter wanted to stay there and go down the mountain.

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
· The Shekina glory of God is sometimes depicted as a bright cloud. They probably had remembrances of the time God appeared to the people at Mt Sinai in the desert.
· When did God say this about Jesus? At his baptism.
· How well do we listen to the Lord? What were they to listen to? Jesus had predicted his passion, death and resurrection and they did not want to hear of it. The Father confirms this message through the transfiguration and through his voice.

When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid.
· Would you react any differently, if you thought God had revealed something to you?

But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.”
· How often this is the message Jesus has to give the disciples during or after some experience. Recall the time they saw Jesus walking on water and they thought it was a ghost. Recall his post resurrection appearances.

And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
· The vision revealed the divinity of Jesus, which the apostles did not fully understand and would not until the resurrection. If they would not, even after this experience, how would others? Would you have?
· What lesson do you take from this passage and apply to your life?