March 4th, 2012: Sunday Gospel Reflection

The Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-10)

In the 1^st Reading we hear the challenging/ inspiring/horrifying story of Abraham who is told by God to go with his son Isaac to the mountain and to sacrifice Isaac as a sign of Abraham’s dedication to God. In the Jewish tradition offering up an animal sacrifice to God was connected to the covenant of Moses at Passover (where the Jewish people ate the Passover meal with unleavened bread and the meat of an unblemished lamb sprinkling the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. This led to their liberation from Pharaoh in Egypt and was memorialized as a perpetual institution). Abraham set out with Isaac in faithfulness to God to offer a sacrifice, not of a lamb, but of his only son Isaac. As he raised his dagger the angel of the Lord came to him and told him to not lay a hand on Isaac, for he had shown his faithfulness to God. God reveals Himself as merciful and faithful, who asks for faithfulness in return.

This story is a dramatic foreshadowing to God sending His own Son Jesus into the world but instead of saving the life of the Son, God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life. The core of this story is faithfulness to the covenant-relationship with God (covenant=gift of self for the other). God asks us to be faithful to the covenant with Him in joy, hardship, till death do us part. God promises that He will always be faithful to us, to forgive us, heal us, and walk with us eternally. We continue to renew this covenant each week on the Lord’s Day (Sunday) as we receive the unleavened bread of the Eucharist fulfilling Jesus’ command to take and eat…do this in remembrance of me.

In today’s Gospel we hear a parallel mountain story, the Transfiguration. Jesus climbs a mountain with Peter, James and John and is transfigured before them (turns a dazzling white!) and Moses and Elijah appear with him. Peter is overjoyed to be there and asks if they can build a tent for each person so they can stay there. Jesus tells them no, they are not to stay but to continue on, his mission is not to rest on the mountain but to be sent. Sent to what?--death on the cross through which the covenant between God and man finds its climax.

This Lent we are called to sacrifice in our own life, not so we can suffer, but so we grow closer to God. Sometimes this means cleaning out things that we hold onto too strongly or that separate us from God. This Spring cleaning creates a space in our hearts (and in our day) for us to focus-in more on our covenant-relationship with God who is ever-faithful and asks the same of us in return. This journey leads us to eternal joy and resurrection through the cross, there is no path to love without sacrifice, no path to resurrection without death.

Questions for reflection and discussion

-What are you sacrificing, setting aside, doing extra this Lent?

-How can your family/friends support you in this? (share with your family/friends)

-What is God be asking you to sacrifice/set aside that you do not want to?


Song Reflection: Holy is the Lord, Andrew Peterson