You will be a blessing

                                 Second Sunday of Lent 

                 It-2 Ħadd tar-Randan Sena A

                 Messalin A pp 138

Reading 1      Genesis 12:1-4a

The LORD said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.” Abram went as the LORD directed him. This is the Word of the Lord.

L:-Ewwel Lezzjoni

Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 12, 1-4a)

F'dak iż-żmien, il-Mulej qal lil Abram: "Qum u itlaq minn artek, minn art twelidek, u minn dar misierek, lejn l-art li jien nurik. U jien nagħmlek ġens kbir, inbierkek u nkabbarlek ismek, u int tkun barks. Jien inbierek lil minibierkek, u nisħet lil min jisħtek. U jitbierku bik it-tribujiet kollha ta' l-art." U telaq Abram kif kien qallu l-Mulej. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm              
Psalm  33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

                   

Salm Responsorjali

Salm 32 (33) 

Sewwa hi l-kelma tal-Mulej,

kollox bil-fedelta' huwa għamel.

Hu jħobb id-dritt u s-sewwa;

bit-tjieba tal-Mulej mimlija l-art.             

R/  Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna.

Ara, għajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibżgħu minnu,

fuq dawk li jittamaw fit-tjieba tiegħu,

biex jeħilsilhom mill-mewt ħajjithom,

u jaħjihom fi żmien il-ġuħ.                                 

R/  Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna.

Ruħna tixxennaq għall-Mulej,

hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħna,

Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna,

kif fik hi t-tama tagħna.                          

R/  Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna.

Reading 2                
2 Timothy 1:8b-10

Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest  through the appearance of our saviour Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.  This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni

Qari mit-Tieni Ittra ta' San Pawl lil Timotju 1, 8b-10

Għażiż, aqsam miegħi t-tbatija għall-Evanġelju, u afda fil-qawwa ta' Alla,  li salvana u sejħilna b'sejħa qaddisa,  mhux għax qies l-għemejjel tagħna, imma skond il-pjan tiegħu stess u skond  il-grazzja tiegħu. Din il-grazzja tahielna qabel iż-żmien ta' l-eternita fi Kristu Ġesu', imma dehret issa permezz tad-dehra tas-Salvatur tagħna Kristu Ġesu' li qered il-mewt,  u dawwal il-ħajja bla tmiem  permezz ta' l-Evanġelju. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel                      

Matthew 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them;  his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here,  one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said,  “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” And when the disciples raised their eyes,  they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone  until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju

Qari mill-Evanġelju skond San Mattew 17, 1-9

F'dak iż-żmien, Ġesu' ħa miegħu lil Pietru u lil Ġakbu u lil ħuħ Ġwanni, tellagħhom fuq munanja għolja weħidhom,  u tbiddel quddiemhom.   Wiċċu sar jiddi bħax-xemx, u lbiesu sar abjad bħad-dawl.U dehrulhom Mose' u Elija jitħaddtu miegħu. Qaqbeż Pietru u qal lil Ġesu': "Mulej, kemm hu sew li aħna hawn!  Jekk trid intella' hawn tliet tined, waħda għalik, waħda għal Mose' u waħda għal Elija." Kif kien għadujitkellem, sħaba kollha dawl ħattiethom,u minn ġos-sħaba nstema' leħen jgħid:  "Dan hu Ibni l-għażiż, li fih sibt l-għaxqa tiegħi; isimgħu lilu." Id-dixxipli, kif semgħu dan, waqgħu wiċċhom fl-art, mimlijin biża'. Ġesu' resaq lejhom, messhom u qalilhom: "Qumu.  La tibżgħux."  Huma refgħu għajnejhom u ma raw lil ħadd ħlief lil Ġesu' waħdu. Huma u neżlin minn fuq il-muntanja, Ġesu' ordnalhom u qalilhom: "Tgħidu lil ħadd b'din id-dehra sa ma Bin il-bniedem ikun  qam mill-imwiet. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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A reflection by Julian Paparella :

The Destination illumines the Journey

What keeps us going through difficult times? 

What inspires our hope when the situation is bleak? 

What makes us persevere when it would be easier to give up?

In the Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Lent, we see Jesus ascend Mount Tabor with His three closest disciples – Peter, James, and John. There He is transfigured before their eyes and they behold Him in all His glory. His face shines like the Sun; His clothes are dazzling white. It is hard to imagine how awesome this sight would be: witnessing the radiance of God!

What is the significance of such an event for us during this Lenten season? What is the significance of seeing the glory of Jesus before witnessing His agony in just a few weeks’ time? The transfiguration is a foretaste of the glory of God. It gives us a snapshot of the resurrection of Jesus that we prepare to celebrate. It shows us that Jesus is God. It reminds us that as we follow Jesus, we are not just following a man like any other, nor a wise teacher, nor even a great philosopher. Following Jesus we are truly following God.

The journey of following God is not always glorious. Peter, James, and John discover this as they experience this personally at the crucifixion of Jesus on Golgotha. A prisoner of his fear, Peter will deny even knowing Jesus. Standing at the foot of the Cross, John will see Jesus die a torturous death. James will desert Jesus the other apostles, nowhere to be found. What a cruel contrast there is between the brilliance of Tabor and the brutality of Golgotha. Did any of them remember what they experienced on the mountaintop?

                         

The transfiguration of Jesus shows us that there is something beyond the Cross. The glory that shone on Tabor calls us through the darkest moments to the destiny that lies beyond. The destination illumines the journey. We do not feel the same on our way to a funeral as we do on our way to redeem the winning lottery ticket. What we are heading towards changes our attitude, our outlook, our actions. What if our destination is heaven? What does it change in us if our destination is the glory of God that Peter, James, and John experienced on Mount Tabor? What if even as we experience the Cross, we are headed for glory?

So often we may take this as wishful thinking, or something taught in Sunday school for little children. But what if this is really where we’re going? What if this is not just an “opiate for the masses” or a happy thought but the true fulfillment of all our deepest hopes and longings? What if this is not just a fantasy we’ve made to make ourselves feel good, but the reason why we are here and what we were made for?

Like the soldier inspired by the hope of victory. Like the mother who labours through childbirth to receive the joy of her baby boy or girl. Like the Olympic medal spurs the athlete on to keep training, enduring, and keeping at it day in and day out. The victory of life is heaven. The labour of life is eternal joy. The medal is sharing in the glory of God. How would our lives changed we let this destination illumine our journey? How would Golgotha look differently if we remembered Tabor? Do we endure our own sufferings differently knowing that there is truly light at the end of the tunnel and if this light shines already here and now? Even on the rainiest day, the Sun still shines brightly above. Even in the darkest moment on earth, the glory of heaven shines brightly as ever.

If we are heading towards heaven, heaven will also break through into what we live here and now. The Kingdom of God is not only were we hope to end up eventually; it is the Reign of God that already wants to break through into our daily lives. It is the reign of peace, mercy, justice, compassion, unity, and love. It is all of us together as brothers and sisters with Jesus of our one true Father. It is the reign of taking care of one another and looking out for one another’s needs. It is the reign of bringing joy to one another, giving one another hope, and encouraging one another to persevere. Our destination shines light on the real trials and struggles that we face along the way. Heaven illumines how we live here on earth. 

The transfiguration of Jesus is the glory of God touching the lives of Peter, James, and John. It is a moment that reveals hope that endures even the darkness of the Cross. May we let this glory tough our lives. May our struggles be illumined by the hope that lies before us. How awesome it is to know, even in the midst of our own Golgothas, that the destination of our journey is the glory of God.

(This teaching was submitted by Julian Paparella, a member of the editorial team of Fr Thomas Rosica’s Salt & Light media)

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