First Reading: Gen 15:5-12, 17-18
Psalm: Ps 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14
The Lord is my light and my salvation!
First Reading: Phil 3:17–4:1
Gospel: Lk 9:28b-36
SUN: SECOND SUNDAY OFLENT
1st Reading: Gen 15:5-12, 17-18
Then Yahweh brought him outside and said to him, “Look up at the sky and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that.”
Abram believed Yahweh who, because of this, held him to be an upright man. And he said, “I am Yahweh who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.”
Then Abram asked, “My Lord, how am I to know that it shall be mine?” Yahweh replied, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtle dove and a young pigeon.” Abram brought all these animals, cut them in two, and laid each half facing its other half, but he did not cut the birds in half. The birds of prey came down upon them, but Abram drove them away.
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep came over Abram, and a dreadful darkness took hold of him.
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between the halves of the victims. On that day Yahweh made a Covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this country from the river of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14
The Lord is my light and my salvation!
2nd Reading: Phil 3:17–4:1
Unite in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and look at those who walk in our way of life. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. I have said it to you many times, and now I repeat it with tears: they are heading for ruin; their belly is their god, and they feel proud of what should be their shame. They only think of earthly things.
For us, our citizenship is in heaven, from where we await the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord. He will transfigure our lowly body, making it like his own body, radiant in glory, through the power which is his, to submit everything to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for you, my glory and crown, be steadfast in the Lord.
Gospel: Lk 9:28b-36
About eight days after Jesus had said all this, he took Peter, John and James, and went up the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the aspect of his face was changed, and his clothing became dazzling white. Two men were talking with Jesus: Moses and Elijah. Appearing in the glory of heaven, Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus about his departure from this life, which was to take place in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had fallen asleep; but they awoke suddenly, and they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As Moses and Elijah were about to leave, Peter—not knowing what to say—said to Jesus, “Master, how good it is for us to be here! Let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” And no sooner had he spoken, than a cloud appeared and covered them; and the disciples were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then these words came from the cloud, “This is my Son, my Beloved, listen to him.” And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was there alone.
The disciples kept this to themselves at the time, telling no one of anything they had seen.
Reflection:
Living the Memory of the Future
Read:
God promises the impossible; Abraham believes. In that faith, God counts Abraham as the upright man. Paul pleads with tears not to become enemies of the cross, but be steadfast in the Lord. Jesus reveals himself in Transfiguration to the inner circle of disciples, revealing their destiny as well.
Reflect:
Christians are called to be people of Memory—Anamnesis. Not an ordinary human memory that is all about recalling past experiences; but a sacramental anamnesis, a memory of the future that is our destiny. It is the dark memory of events that are ‘already but not yet’. If Abraham lived his life in faith and was counted upright, it was because he lived in memory of the future that was already but not yet realized in his present. On Mount Tabor, the disciples were given an experience that would remain etched in them as an anamnesis of their destiny: In the Transfigured Christ, they glimpsed who they will be.
Pray:
Pray today for a transfiguration from the wounding memories of the past to the anamnesis of our promised deification ahead.
Act:
Live today as someone already transfigured in Christ (=Having the Mind of Christ).