HOMILY FOR THE 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR A. (3)

 HOMILY FOR THE 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR A.

THEME: Following the Lord Who Calls.

BY: Fr. Luke Ijezie

 

Genesis 12:1-4a
Resp.Psalm 33:4-5,18-20,22
2Timothy 1:8b-10
Matthew 17:1-9

HOMILY FOR THE 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR A.

THEME: Following the Lord Who Calls.

BY: Fr. Luke Ijezie

 

Genesis 12:1-4a
Resp.Psalm 33:4-5,18-20,22
2Timothy 1:8b-10
Matthew 17:1-9

In the readings of this Second Sunday of Lent, we are reminded that we are called to follow wherever God leads us. Following means we have to be always on the move. We are not to build permanent tents to a Deity or to domesticate religion for our private ends.

1. The Gospel text from Matt 17:1-9 presents the famous narrative of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain. It was an unspeakable mystical experience for the three Apostles of the Inner Circle: Peter, James and John. The refulgent glory overwhelmed and overawed them. Peter proposed building three tents, each for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. He saw them as three divine figures that needed to be appropriated and confined to that place permanently. He wanted to keep adoring and contemplating the three. He wanted to domesticate them for his group’s advantage. We are, however, told Peter did not know what he was saying. The fact is that his wild wish was not granted. Instead, the Voice from heaven spoke: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.” After this only Jesus remained among the three. What does this mean? God is telling Peter and his companions that the new faith is not to be anchored on tents or tabernacles or temples to divine figures. Rather, the anchor is on listening to the One chosen by God, His beloved Son. In order words, whatever the Son says is what should be done. The Heavenly Voice is saying it loud and clear that the only Spokesperson of God now is Jesus. He is the only Prophet of Christianity. Every other prophetic figure must listen to him and speak only what Jesus has ordered or inspired. The era of Moses is gone together with that of Elijah. God now speaks to us through His Son, and this is not within the shadow of a tent or temple but in spirit and in truth. To worship God in spirit and in truth, we must follow Jesus wherever he goes.

RELATED: HOMILY FOR THE 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR A

2. The first reading from Gen 12:1-4 foreshadows the message of the Transfiguration in the Gospel. Abraham is called to leave his country, his kindred and father’s house and go to a land that God would give him. By this he is called to leave his comfort zone and walk with God to yet an unknown land. It is a call to followership, a call to pilgrim life. One needs courage and spirit of total detachment to follow God. That is what we are called to do as followers of Christ. In Christ, God is showing us the land He promised to Abraham, our father in faith.

3. The second reading from 2Tim 1:8-10 stresses also this call and followership dimension in our Christian life. The Apostle Paul announces with joy that God has finally fulfilled the promise made long ago by what He has done to us in Christ Jesus, abolishing all the forces that prevented humanity from reaching the promised land and offeringus free salvation.

4. Reflecting further on the theme of today’s readings we get challenged on a number of issues:
Remaining permanently fixated on the glorious moments may prevent us from listening to Christ’s voice in the present. We need to come down from the mountain of glory and embrace the real world. So at every moment, we are called upon to leave our comfort zone, to renounce our personal comforts and follow the will of God in the present. Problems arise both in the society and in the family when we refuse to listen to God’s voice but stick tenaciously to our own convictions and ideologies. Another challenge is that of listening to many voices at the same time. In the spiritual journey, We are called upon today to listen to only the voice of Jesus. As Christians, our guide and model is Jesus alone and not the worldly maxims and attractions. Sometimes, we are tempted to suspend our Christian ideals and dance to the cheering crowd, but we only end up in regrets.
May God accompany us with His graces as we strive to do His will by listening to Jesus at every moment!

FOR MORE HOMILIES CLICK >>>>>>

Discover more from Catholic For Life

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading