Daily Readings

Reading 1

Gn 12:1-4a
The LORD said to Abram:
"Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk
and from your father's house to a land that I will show you.

"I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you."

Abram went as the LORD directed him.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22.
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Reading 2

2 Tm 1:8b-10
Beloved:
Bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God.

He saved us and called us to a holy life,
not according to our works
but according to his own design
and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,
who destroyed death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel.

Verse Before the Gospel

Cf. Mt 17:5
From the shining cloud the Father's voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him.

Gospel

Mt 17:1-9
Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
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."
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."
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
"Rise, and do not be afraid."
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."

 

Father Kirk's Daily Lenten Reflection
2nd Sunday of Lent, March 5, 2023

There was a noted missionary in Northern Africa who was very much intrigued by the behavior of a one particular Bedouin Indian with whom he had frequent contact. This particular man could often be found alone in the desert lying flat on the hot sand. One day the missionary –overcome with curiosity- asked him what he was doing. The Bedouin said, “I am listening to the voice of the desert.” “And what does it say??” the missionary asked somewhat sarcastically. The Bedouin replied, “The desert says: I want to be a garden.”

That is the perfect image of Christian people during the season of Lent. For like the desert wanting to be a garden … we … want to be other Christ’s. Through the words of today’s gospel Jesus says to us, “Do not dwell on my Transfiguration but rather get to work on your own.” Indeed the season of lent is a time for us to work even harder than normal on transforming ourselves to become more like Christ.

There are a myriad of ways to embark on that journey. Gandhi once said, “You must be the change that you want to see in the world.” Saint John of the Cross said, “Fix your eyes on Christ and keep them there.” Saint Benedict wrote in his holy rule, “Keep death always before you and prefer nothing to Christ.” Mother Theresa said simply this, “Smile more often and live like you mean it.”

The gospel story of the Transfiguration of Christ reminds us to get busy transforming ourselves. It reminds us also that the work of becoming more like Christ is an on-going and life-long endeavor.  During lent I am frequently reminded of the advice that my good friend Archabbot Lambert Reilly used to give us in the seminary … he says “Pick your fix and stick to it.”