Gospel Reflection for Sunday 17th March The Second Sunday of Lent – St Patrick’s Day
A Place of Revelation
In the gospel this Sunday, Jesus takes a small group of his followers and friends away from the noise market place and walks with them up the mountain. In scripture, both the Old and New Testament, the mountain is very important and significant; it is the place of revelation.
The mountain is the place where God is heard and experienced. We think of Moses meeting God on Mount Sanai, The Sermon on the Mount in Mathew’s Gospel and the Hill of Calvary.
These and others places are where we encounter the power and presence God. While they are praying on the mountain with Jesus, those with him experience a strange and powerful event; they hear and see something very much out of the ordinary. Clouds appear and they hear a voice saying, ‘This my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’
What is this gospel saying to us as we take another step on our Lenten journey?
We know that every day we are surrounded and even bombarded with messages from all sorts of advertisements; the radio, newspaper, shop windows and of course social media. These are always trying to get our attention with their own message. Through the voice, actions and person of Jesus, God is trying to get our attention.
Jesus has a life-giving and life changing message for each of us, if we are ready and willing to listen to him. Sometimes in our daily lives we are so busy and occupied, that we are unable to hear what God wants to say to us. So today God simply reminds of this and says, ‘This is my Son…listen to him.’
How do we listen to Jesus? When we set aside a few minutes to pray, we are creating some time and space through which we can speak and listen to Jesus.
The Eucharist is a place of encounter and revelation through which we meet and hear Jesus. When the scriptures are proclaimed at mass, it is Jesus himself who is speaking to us.
When we present the Bread and Wine to the altar, the ultimate transfiguration and changetakes place; they become the Body and Blood of Jesus and are freely offered back to us. When we celebrate the Eucharist with each other, we too are in the presence of Jesus, God’s chosen One, to whom we are asked to listen.
It is then that we can truly say, it is good that we are here!As we continue our journey through Lent, may listen to Jesus who has the message and words of eternal life.
Today is also St. Patrick’s Day! We look this former slave as a man who heard and listened to the word of God. He not only heard God’s message, he dedicated his whole life to sharing it with others.
Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and Nigeria. We remember pray for all those around world today who have any connection with St. Patrick or Ireland. May we too listen to God as Patrick did and follow Jesus as he did.
HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!!
– Br Michael Moore OMI
Gospel, Luke 9:28-36
Now about eight days after this had been said, he took with him Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray.
And it happened that, as he was praying, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became sparkling white.
And suddenly there were two men talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they woke up and saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what he was saying.
As he was saying this, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid.
And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’
And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.
