March 08, 2009 Second Sunday of Lent Gen. 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18; Rom. 8:31-34;Mk. 9:2-10 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Readings: http://www.usccb.org/nab/030809.shtml              ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________     transfiguration of Jesus: Just before Jesus was transfigured, He told his disciples that he must suffer greatly, be killed and rise after three days. The disciples had to learn that Jesus was not exactly the type of Messiah that they were expecting. Immediately following this we read that Peter, James and John saw Jesus transfigured. They needed reassurance, and Jesus did not let them down. Moses and Elijah also appeared and spoke with Jesus. Two great figures of the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah, appeared on the mountain with Jesus transfigured, to confirm that Jesus is indeed the expected Messiah.   “Listen to him”    Will they listen to Jesus? Peter denied Jesus and James, like the rest of the disciples, abandoned Jesus. Only John listened to Jesus and was not scandalized by the passion and death of Jesus.   We also have experienced and met Jesus in many ways and sometimes we too let him down. ·   We meet Jesus in a most intimate way every time we receive him in the Eucharist. ·   We meet Jesus in the Scriptures as they touch our hearts. Jesus speaks to us now when we read the Scriptures. The Scriptures are not just about the life of Jesus; in the Scriptures Jesus also speaks to us about our lives and in them we meet Jesus as he speaks to us about our lives. ·   We meet Jesus in a very special way in all the sacraments. ·   We have seen Jesus in great people like Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa.   Just as the disciples needed to know that Jesus did not hold their abandonment of him against them, we need to be reconciled to Jesus often. We need to meet Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation often because there are times when we do not listen to Jesus, times when we deny Jesus, in our families, or perhaps where we work, or maybe in our communities. We do not have to be conquered or governed by our weaknesses or sinfulness. Just as Peter, James and John received the special grace of seeing Jesus transfigured and received many other graces from Jesus, we too have received many graces from Jesus to help us become the great people he has called us to be and to witness to him wherever life demands.     <<   Previous: First Sunday of Lent  | Next: Third Sunday of Lent >>     Go Back to SERMONS (Year B)