Exegesis

Homily

Liturgical Preaching

The gospel reading for the second Sunday of Lent is always the story of Jesus’ transfiguration. This was an occasion when Jesus’ true nature, ordinarily hidden, became visible for a moment. For a short time it was possible to see that he was the Son of God. The readings for this Sunday invite us to look beneath the surface to see the true nature of Jesus.

The reading from the Gospel according to Mark tells us that Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain. There Jesus was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white; Moses and Elijah appeared and conversed with him; a voice from heaven proclaimed, "This is my beloved Son, listen to him." For a moment it became clear that Jesus is the Son of God. Mark emphasizes that this revelation was granted only to Peter, James and John, and that they were to tell no one about it until after the resurrection. This reminds us that we, who hear this account and believe it, have received this same revelation about Jesus. By God’s grace we have seen Jesus transfigured and need to remember it when we no longer see it.

The other two readings help us to understand more fully what it means that Jesus is the Son of God. The reading from the Book of Genesis tells the story of Abraham’s near sacrifice of Isaac. In order to test Abraham, God told him to offer his son Isaac as a holocaust, a sacrificial victim that would be killed and then burned to offer it completely to God. This was a severe test not only because Isaac was Abraham’s only son, whom he loved, but also because God had promised Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars (see Gen 15:5). In asking him to sacrifice Isaac, God was asking Abraham to kill the only child through whom God’s promise seemed likely to be fulfilled.

Nevertheless, without hesitation Abraham prepared to do what God commanded. As Abraham took the knife to slaughter Isaac, the messenger of God stopped him, saying that he had proved his devotion to God. Because he did not withhold from God his own beloved son, God repeated the promise that Abraham would have numerous descendents through whom all nations of the earth would find blessing.

The reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans interprets the death of Jesus in light of this story about Abraham. Like Abraham God did not spare his own Son, Jesus. However, unlike Abraham, God actually sacrificed his son, and "handed him over for us all." If Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac shows his devotion to God, God’s actual sacrifice of Jesus shows an even greater devotion to us. If God has given us his son in this way, he will "also give us everything else along with him."

God’s sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf shows that God is so completely for us, that no one can effectively oppose us. God acts to make us righteous; Christ Jesus intercedes for us. No hostile power can stand against them.

The revelation of Jesus as the Son of God shows us most of all the depth of God’s love for us in sending Jesus to die and rise for us. But it also shows us the mystery of God’s ways, using the death of Jesus to give us life.