Homily (2) Second
Sunday of Lent Year A: Fr. Michael Udoekpo
Readings: Gen 12:1-4a;
Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; 2 Tm 1:8b-10 and Matt 17:1-9
Embracing Our Daily Crosses with Trust
Today’s responsorial
Psalm, “May your love be upon us O Lord as we place all our trust in you,”
captures the spirit of the readings of today’s Second Sunday of Lent. During
lent as we pray, give alms, do penance, attain retreats, it is also a time we
solidify our trust and faith in God, the teacher of the suffering discipleship.
It is a time we seek transformation and renewal. It is a time we think of our journeys. It is a time we reflect on the ultimate journey of every Christian, namely, the
glory of the cross.
From the beginning,
every child of God, every believer is invited to place his or her faith and
trust in God. This is true in the journeys of Abraham, Christ and Saint Paul.
We
are all familiar with the call and the journey or response of Abraham. God called Abraham
imperatively, to leave his native Mesopotamia to an unknown
destination: a land that God would show him. Abraham did trusting in God's providence and promises. He placed his trust
in God and journeyed to this land promised him by God. Abraham may not have been
a billionaire in the modern sense, but you can imagine the inconveniences of
anybody leaving his home that way. No GPs. He met many trials on the way. one them was the bareness of
Sarah (Gen 11:31; 16ff). Another was the threat of pharaoh over Sarah's beauty (Gen 12:10-20). In the
midst of all these Abraham put his trust and faith in God.
On his journey to the
cross Jesus brought his disciples, Peter, James and John to the mountain of
transfiguration, mount Tabor, where Jesus’s face was transfigured and
transformed. Christ’s face shone like the sun to the disciples. His cloth also
became white as a bright light. Moses the law giver and Elijah the prophet also
appeared to them, chatting with Jesus. So many transformation here. The brightness
of the sun and the serenity of this mountain top gave the disciples such a joy
and peace that they would want to remain there forever, building houses for
Moses, Elijah and Jesus.
On February 7, 2010, I
had the privilege to be on this mountain top, with a group other students from
Rome. While on this mountain I felt
somehow like the Peter, James and John, in sense. I could get a good view of
the whole valley of Jezreel and the shining hills of Galilee, from there. Sometimes
scary too! But the air up there, which is about 1848 feet, is very refreshing.
It gives one a wonderful experience of God’s presence, in the brightness of the
sun, in the deep valleys, on the mountain and natures. Sometimes you feel like
not going back, especially with, beautifully maintained Franciscan Basilica up
there, which was erected in the early 20th century, on the remains
of the older churches.
But
for Jesus the journey was not complete, without his cross. Tabor experience was only the foretaste of
his glorious coming; a foretaste of victory over the cross. The disciples would have to keep going and be
patient with themselves, and not complain or tell anyone about this mountain
top experience, until the son of man has been raised from the dead.
Paul’s missionary journeys, after his
conversion and personal transformation, were not without ups and downs. There
were times he was beaten, ship wrecked and thrown into prisons. From his
experiences he says to Timothy today, “beloved bear your share of hardship for
the gospel, with the strength that comes from God (2 Tim 1:8-10). The same God
that Abraham placed his trust and faith upon
All
of us are on a journey or on a pilgrimage. We know there are challenges out
there, even of temporary pleasure. How do we move beyond these challenges,
beyond the Tabor experience? Some of our challenges could be forms of stress,
betrayals, illnesses and disappointments and even the loss of someone we loved?
We see them in other the daily events of
life. They are there in our homes, schools, hospitals (in this residence home),
offices, work places, factories and in religious communities.
We
see them in the violence of our TV scenes and in sport fields. We see them in
the selfish decision of some our politicians and leaders. We see them in the
effects of wars and terrorism around the globe, in acts of injustices, and in
the neglect of the weak, the poor, the aged and the needy of our society.
As
we live through lent, may we continue to support and pray for one another on
these journeys? May we continue to sing and pray that God’s love and mercy may
remain and guide us as we place all our hope, faith and trust in him (ps 33:22).
