Second Sunday of Lent Year C
Genesis 15:5–12, 17–18
Psalm 27:1, 7–8, 8–9, 13–14
Philippians 3:17–4:1
Luke 9:28b–36
God has made a covenant with all the nations through Abraham. He has shared His own life with us in the person of Jesus, Who is a light to all nations. The message of the Scriptures of the Second Sunday of Lent is a timely reminder of the destiny in store for us if we are open to receiving it.
We hear an account of God’s “signing of the contract” with Abram – as he is called before God lengthens his name to establish his being the “father of nations” (see Genesis 17). The elaborate ritual described in Genesis 15 is simply the action of God “signing on the dotted line” to establish the terms of the contract.
When the peoples of the ancient Near East wanted to make alliances, they offered the stipulations of the “contract” and the consequences of failure to follow through. Note that in this case, Abram is passive. God makes the covenant on His own initiative, as a promise, in this moment establishing that Abram will have descendants of his own, and they will have a land of their own in which to live.
Reading further in the story of Abraham, we discover that God’s promise is that Abraham will have a son, his own progeny with Sarah, whose descendants will claim the land being given in promise. He is also told that he will become the father of many nations, and that he will be a blessing to them. We are certainly in need of that blessing in our time!
Luke’s account of the Transfiguration of Jesus highlights some characteristic themes of his Gospel. Jesus goes up the mountain with His three most trusted disciples to pray. The other accounts do not explicitly mention that prayer was the purpose for the climb. We know that Jesus often went to deserted places to pray by Himself. In this moment, He is inviting Peter, John and James (note the change of order) to share an intensely intimate experience.
The Transfiguration is an “overflow” of Jesus’ prayer that pours over these disciples as light, much like the darkness that covered Abram in his encounter with God was pierced by the smoking fire pot and flaming torch that made known the presence of God.
Luke also tells us that Peter and the others experience Jesus’ glory after they have fallen into a deep sleep. A promise is being made, but the action of establishing the New Covenant will unfold in the Passion that will be celebrated at the end of our Lenten journey.
For now, Jesus is given the consolation of the presence of Moses and Elijah, who speak to Him with understanding of His “departure,” that is, literally His “Exodus.” This strengthens Jesus in facing the “cup” He will have to drink.
As we enter into the journey of Lent, we are called like Abram to put our trust in God as we face the darkness of the world around us. We glimpse the glory of the Lord in the face of Jesus, Who invites us to enter into the depth of His own prayer.
May our works of prayer, fasting and almsgiving prepare us to enter into the joy that He promises. May we renew our commitment to share the life of God with all our brothers and sisters. May God’s own promises to us enliven our hope, and may we be a sign to others that the Lord is our light and our salvation.
On the First Sunday of Lent, many who are called to the Easter sacraments experience the Rite of Election (the catechumens who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil) or the Call to Continuing Conversion (the candidates who will enter into full communion in the Catholic Church and receive the sacraments of confirmation and Eucharist). We join them in prayer, confident that the Lord will fulfill all He has promised them when they complete their Lenten journey.