By Fr. Ed Liptak, SDB
Our Christian forefathers immediately detected in the second Sunday of Lent’s heart-wrenching scene from Genesis, a parallel with God and his beloved only begotten Son, not on Mt. Moriah but on Mount Calvary. Genesis was, in many ways, prophetic.
God and Abraham accompanied their only begotten sons to the altar of sacrifice. As Isaac obediently carried the wood for the oblation, so Jesus carried the Wood of the Cross in perfect obedience to His Father. Abraham’s obedience to God led to Isaac’s stay of execution. God’s love for His obedient Son led to the Father’s raising Jesus from the dead to new and eternal life. God promised Abraham that a people of his race would rise countless as the stars in the skies and the sands on the seashores. “In your descendants all the ends of the earth shall find blessing–all because you obeyed my command.“ And all this is best fulfilled in Jesus, for He is alive in us, and from Him has risen the worldwide Church.
St. Paul, master of sacred scripture, draws strongly upon Abraham as our model of faith and obedience, and Paul leads our forefathers in presenting the above reflection: “He [God] who did not spare His own Son but handed Him over for us all, how will He not also give us everything along with him?” Everything that Paul speaks of is everything we need to attain life forever in the Kingdom of Heaven. He insists that no one can take this from us, for Christ, who died for us, stands side by side with God to intercede for us. We, by faith in Jesus or lack of it, are responsible for what we attain, heaven or hell.
In our Gospel, Mark explains. Jesus led Peter, James, and John atop a high mountain alone. There he was transfigured before them in clothes dazzling white. Elijah and Moses appeared conversing with him. (Luke says they spoke of His end in Jerusalem). Finally, as the cloud hovered over the three awe-struck Apostles, God proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him,” for after the Transfiguration in all the Gospels, Jesus began his final search for faith, which ended on Calvary. The Father gave His beloved Son in sacrifice for our sinfulness. We must not fail to listen to Him.
By Your word made pure, May we rejoice to behold your glory. (See Collect)