SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
First Reading: GENESIS 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18
Responsorial Psalm: PSALMS 116:10, 15-19
Second Reading: ROMANS 8:31-34
Gospel: MARK 9:2-10
Normally, the first readings are connected to the Gospel. But during Lent, they are two different tracks. While the Gospels move us closer to the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, the first readings during Lent give an overview of salvation history capturing major episodes in the history of salvation that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
The first reading today captures a very special moment in the history of salvation, namely, the sacrifice of Isaac on mount Moriah (Genesis 22). God tests the faith and obedience of Abraham. He asks him to offer Him in sacrifice, his only son. God had promised him a son at his old age. Connected to this promise is the promise that he will be the father of multitude. God gave him a son after about 25 years. Now God asks him to sacrifice his son to Him. Why will God ask for a human sacrifice? We can only find an answer by looking at what happened in the light of the mystery of Christ. What God is doing through Abraham is preparing the world for the sacrifice of His only son, Jesus Christ whom He will send into the world and offer as a sacrifice. This is the deeper meaning of the test of Abraham.
How did the Church come about this? It is easy to see if we take a moment to look at the striking parallels between the sacrifice of Isaac and the sacrifice of Christ. Both Jesus and Isaac were only begotten sons. Secondly, Isaac carried the wood of the sacrifice to the mountain, the place of his sacrifice and is laid on the wood to become a sacrifice. Jesus carried His own Cross, the wood of His own sacrifice to the mountain of the crucifixion where He is laid on the Cross. Thirdly, look at the effect of the sacrifices. God said to Abraham, ‘because you have done this, all the nations of the world will be blessed through you.’ When Jesus died on the Cross this promised came to be fulfilled in Him. He is the one through whom the whole world is blessed. It is also important to note that when Isaac was saved from being sacrificed, God provided a substitute; a ram caught by its horns in a thorn bush. The ancient fathers of the Church saw it as a figure of Christ. Ram is a symbol of kingship. This ram had thorns in its horn. Jesus is the royal king who wore the crown of thorns and took the place of Isaac.
We find the final confirmation of this parallel if we look at the location of the sacrifice of Isaac and the sacrifice of Christ. The sacrifice of Isaac took place on mount Moriah (Genesis 22). In 2 Chronicles 3: 1 we read that Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on mount Moriah. Jesus was crucified at Golgotha. Golgotha is the peak of the mountains in the land of Moriah. This is a mystery and it is very significant. It helps us see that God had the sacrifice of Christ all planned out and rehearsed two thousand years before Christ.
On the first Sunday of Lent we journeyed with Jesus into the wilderness where He was tested by Satan. Today, the second Sunday of Lent He takes us to the high mountain where He is transfigured. The Gospel does not name the mountain but ancient tradition locates the transfiguration on mount Tabor and it fits with the geography of Mark’s Gospel. Jesus is travelling south with His disciples to Jerusalem. He is travelling from Capernaum and mount Tabor is right on the way. Why are they going to Jerusalem? They are going for the celebration of the Passover. Earlier in chapter 8:31 Jesus began to tell His disciples that He must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and teachers of the Law and be killed and after three days, rise again. In verse 32, Peter protested against that strongly. The disciples do not understand. By now hostilities against Jesus has reached a fever pitch and the disciples must have thought it was a bad idea to go to Jerusalem. And so when Peter asked that they make three tents and remain on the mountain, he was not only speaking because of the unspeakable beauty and glory they saw, he was also thinking about the security of Jesus.
In the transfiguration, Jesus was revealing His glory to them and so preparing them to overcome the scandal of the Cross. Pope Leo the Great teaches that the “great reason for the transfiguration was to remove the scandal of the cross from the hearts of his disciples, and to prevent the humiliation of his voluntary suffering from disturbing the faith of those who had witnessed the surpassing glory that lay concealed” (Second reading, office of the reading, Second Sunday of Lent). Jesus allowed Peter, James and John to enjoy for a short time the contemplation of the happiness that lasts forever so to enable them bear adversity with greater fortitude. The memory of this special moment helped them overcome the persecutions and trials that came their way. We have a promise of this glory because scriptures say we shall be like Him. We too can draw strength from this hope to persevere and overcome every trial that will come our way.
In Mark’s account of the transfiguration of Our Lord, Mark is directing us to another mountain encounter. During the Exodus, Moses encountered God at mount Sinai (Exodus 24). Verses 15 and 16 tell us that when Moses went up to the mountain, the Glory of Yahweh rested on the mountain and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day, the Lord called Moses from within the cloud. Notice the opening words of the Gospel today, “six days later.” The literal reading is “on the seventh day.” This is Mark’s way of establishing a parallel between Moses’s encounter with the Lord at Sinai and the transfiguration event. Notice also that in both events, mountains are involved and God speaks from the cloud. Elijah also appeared in the transfiguration of Jesus. God also spoke to Elijah on the mountain but in a different way.
What do we take home from here? The mountain is a place of listening to the call of God. The voice of God said, “this is my beloved Son, listen to Him.” Moses and Elijah have something to teach us about listening to God. In Exodus 19 God spoke to Moses spoke to God and God answered in a thunder. In 1 Kings 19, God spoke to Elijah, not in the storm or fire or thunder, but in a gentle whisper. Sometimes God will shout and at other times will whisper. Lent is a time to be apart with the Lord and to listen to Him. There is too much noise in our environment. Too many things are competing for our attention. Are you going to listen to them or are you going to listen to Jesus? We listen to Jesus by hearing the Lenten call to self-denial which frees us from attachment to the things of the world and fill us with grace.
In the second reading, St Paul asks us, “if God is for us, who can be against us?” Fasting and abstinence serve to remind us that Jesus is the only one who can satisfy all our desires and longings. The point is this, if we mortify ourselves and detach ourselves from everything in the world, we open ourselves up to be filled with God’s love and blessings just like Abraham who was willing to sacrifice to God what is dearest to him; his only son.
Happy Sunday
Fr. Chidi Onwuka msscc