SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

Genesis 22:1-2.9-13.15-18

Psalm 115:10.15-19

Romans 8:31-34

Mark 9:2-10

THE WAY TO OUR TRANSFIGURATION

Today’s readings present two scenes: that of Abraham who goes to the mountain to sacrifice his son Isaac, and that of Jesus who goes to the mountain to be transfigured. 

In the first scene, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac on mount Moriah. This request was a radical trial of faith; it seemed to utterly contradict God’s promise that the boy would pass on Abraham’s line into the distant future. And yet, Abraham did not refuse. He still obeyed God, even in the face of this apparently senseless, cruel and painful request of God. 

Abraham’s unconditional obedience is often seen as a paradigm for the sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son on Calvary. Saint Paul rightly said: “God did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all”.  Thus, Isaac prefigured Jesus in that he was to be sacrificed on a hill, and he carried on his shoulder the wood for the sacrifice.  But unlike Isaac, Jesus knew what was awaiting him. That is why after the exiting moment of Peter’s confession (Mark 8:27-30), he announced to his disciples his imminent Passion, death and resurrection (Mark 8:31-33). This was a real scandal of faith to the disciples. 

Hence, the Transfiguration was meant to sustain the disciples by allowing them to have a glimpse of Christ’s glory, for the cross was not to be the end, but the way to Jesus’ glory. Indeed, there would not have been Easter Sunday, if there was not Good Friday. And Abraham would not have become the ancestor of all believers, if he did not obey God in faith and trust. 

This is to tell us that sometimes, serving God can be horrible and terrifying, as it may demand of us to make nonsensical and painful sacrifices. Moreover, our faces may be disfigured because of pain and tears, because of the trials and difficulties we may have to go through, the crosses we may have to bear. But one thing is sure: God is with us and leading us to glory. If we hold firm in faith and obedience to God, we will exclaim with the psalmist: “I believed, even when I said, ‘I am greatly afflicted’”. May the Lord help us to never lose hope and faith even when things do not go well. Amen

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

Genesis 9:8-15

Psalm 24:4-9

1Peter 3:18-22

Mark 1:12-15

LENT, AN OPPORTUNE TIME FOR CONVERSION

"Repent and believe in the Gospel". This is the call that Jesus addresses to each one of us on this first Sunday of Lent. As we know, Lent is essentially a preparation for the celebration of Easter. It is a journey in which we are called to change our lifestyles, put order into our lives and return to God with all sincerity. Lent is a period of conversion and spiritual discipline: intense prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

As our imitation of Jesus’ fasting and prayer in the desert, we too embark in a forty day journey in the wilderness of our hearts. Like Jesus, we will be tempted in various ways (Mark 1:12-15). But if we remain obedient and faithful to the covenant-keeping God, we shall stand firm and not fall despite the snares of the devil. 

In the first reading, God made a covenant with Noah and, through him, with all creation. The rainbow became the sign of God’s covenant with mankind (Gen. 9:8-15). In the second reading, Peter recognizes this event as a prefiguration of Christian baptism. With Noah's ark, only a few people, eight in all, were preserved from the devastating waters of the flood. But with Jesus’ death and resurrection, many are we who have been saved through the life-giving waters of baptism (1Pet. 3:18-22).

Lent is therefore an opportune time to rediscover our relationship with God, a relationship that began with our Baptism. As Pope Francis has said in his Lenten message, Lent is a time for “renewing our faith, hope and charity”. It is a time for us to come into contact with our inner self and evaluate how faithful we have been to our baptismal promises. It is a time for spiritual renewal and transformation. 

It is a time to rediscover the merciful and forgiving God. He does not count the number of times we have fallen, but the times we have risen after falling. Like the prodigal child, let us make an interior home-coming journey so that we may rediscover God’s love manifested in Jesus, the Righteous who suffered for our sins. Let us repent and trust in God's mercy and compassion. Let u ask him to grant us the grace to understand the meaning of his Son’s death and resurrection so as to reflect it in our daily lives. Amen

ASH WEDNESDAY

Joel 2:12-18

Psalm 51

2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2

Matthew 6:1-6.16-18

THIS IS THE FAVOURABLE TIME 

Today marks the beginning of 40 days journey: the Lenten Season. Lent is a period of spiritual discipline and conversion, which culminates in the celebration of the Holy Week. In his merciful love, God calls us to return to him; for He is tenderness and compassion, slow in anger and rich in love (Joel 2:12-18). For St Paul, this is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation. We must be reconciled with God and open ourselves to his grace (1Co. 5:20-6:2). And in the gospel, the three main Lenten practices are presented to us: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. These must be done in discretion, for God who sees all that is done in secret will reward us (Matt. 6:1-6.16-18).

Today’s liturgy is marked by the blessing and giving of ashes. This rite bears in itself the spirituality of Lent. In effect, in the Old Testament ashes signify remorse for sins and repentance. To cover oneself with ashes is the external expression of repentance and conversion: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” They are also symbol of man’s nothingness, frailty and mortality: “Remember, man, you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Again, ashes express man’s sorrow in the midst of suffering but also hope in God’s mercy and salvation.

In chemistry too, ashes are signs that an irreversible change of chemicals has taken place. Thus, Lent is an opportunity to change for the better, to change our sinful lifestyles and put on the new self, created in the image of Christ (Eph. 4:24). Besides, ashes are used as fertilizers in agriculture. Meanwhile, fertilizers are symbol of growth. This way, the Lenten season is an occasion for us to grow in our relationship with the Lord and bear abundant fruits. We are encouraged to nourish our souls with prayer, meditation on the Word of God, and with the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confession. 

Finally, ashes are used in washing or cleansing utensils. These domestic usages remind us of our need to cleanse ourselves from our sins especially in the Sacrament of Confession. In this Sacrament of repentance and reconciliation, we encounter the God who is love and mercy, and who never gets tired to forgive us our sins. May He bless and keep all of us. Amen 

I wish you all a fruitful Lenten Season.

SIXTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

Leviticus 13:1-2.44-46

Psalm 31:1-5.11

1Corinthians 10:31-11:1

Mark 1:40-45

THE CURING OF A LEPER

In today’s gospel passage, Saint Mark narrates the cure of a leper by Jesus. But we cannot understand the significance of this miracle without knowing the context in which Jesus acted. In effect, leprosy has always been a terrible illness, especially in ancient times. It was highly contagious and incurable. Hence, the ancient world used to combat leprosy by isolating the lepers, making them live outside the camp. They would cry aloud, “unclean, unclean!” as a warning to anyone approaching them (Lev. 13:1-2.44-46).

However, beyond this need to prevent contamination, leprosy was considered as the consequence of sin and a sign of uncleanness. The leper could not participate in communal worship. Moreover, anyone who unfortunately touched a leper would become unclean and would need to go through purification rites before he could be reintegrated into the community as would be the case for the leper himself. As a result, the leper suffered a double affliction: the physical suffering inflicted by the sickness and the psychological pain of being separated from his own people.

This was the situation why the action of Jesus was very remarkable. A leper came to him begging: “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved by compassion, Jesus broke the norms of purity that prohibited him to approach, let alone touch a leper. He stretched out his hand, touched the leper and healed him (Mark 1:40-45). These daring actions of both the leper and Jesus restored the man to good health and reintegrated him to his community.

It is noteworthy that in our days, leprosy is disappearing and the few cases are easily cured, but stigmatization and social isolation are still realities in our communities. Many are neglected, ignored and living at the margin of society: the elderly, the poor, the sick, prisoners, victims of HIV/AIDS, migrants, alcoholics, etc. These social ills have become more evident with the covid-19 pandemic. It is in this perspective that we need to take Saint Paul’s exhortation seriously.

He invites us to imitate him just as he himself imitates Christ. Like Jesus, we need sometimes daring and audacious actions in order to save and liberate man. May we therefore learn from him so as to be moved by compassion and love in front of the woes and miseries of others. May the Lord bless and keep all of us.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

Job 7,1-4. 6-7

Psalm 146,1-6

1Corinthians 9,16-19. 22-23

Mark 1, 29-39

A CRY FROM THE VALLEY OF SUFFERING

Sometimes, life can seem meaningless, empty, absurd and pure drudgery, especially when we are faced with the reality of pain, suffering and evil. In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that “illness and suffering have always been among the gravest problems confronted in human life. In illness man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations and his finitude (…) Illness can lead to anguish, self-absorption, sometimes even despair and revolt against God” (1500 - 1501).

This was the experience of Job as narrated in today’s first reading. Job was faced with innocent suffering and the silence of God. In today’s passage, he expressed his weariness and wonder at the absurdity of human life. His days had become an unremitting drudgery, like those of a day laborer who waits for his wages. In the concluding statements of Job’s grieve at life, he said that his life was but a wind and his eyes would never see joy again (Job 7:1-7). As it can be noted, we can identify the cry of Job with that of many people in our world today, especially in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the gospel, we are presented with a different scenario. Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law and restores to good health the sick and the possessed brought to him. For his reason, people were looking for him. But there is no time to bask in the admiration of the crowd; he must go to the nearby villages to preach the Good News (Mark 1, 29-39). Indeed, Jesus came to inaugurate the Kingdom of God and change the meaning of human pain and suffering.

With Jesus, suffering is no longer a punishment, a curse, but a way of experiencing the redeeming power of God. With Jesus, we discover that life is not meant to be purposeless, dull and meaningless even in the midst of suffering, but rather full of meaning and hope. And this is the Good News that must be preached to the world as it was in Saint Paul’s time. Paul was prepared to be “all things to everyone,” so as to bring the Gospel to all. May we learn from him so that having experienced the closeness of God, we may be ready to bear witness to his goodness and love to everyone. May he bless and keep all of us. 

Amen