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Homily of the Second Sunday of Lent, 2024
Homily of the Second Sunday of Lent, 2024
Reading Abraham's story, we may ask how can God, who is love and compassion, ask for the life of a child? Although it turned out to be a test, the test was so cruel. Yes, I agree God’s test was over the human limit. But was the test necessary? Yes. Before God gave Abraham a special mission, He would test Abraham’s faith. From this bible story, we all should learn that “obedience” is always a tough challenge to human kinds because, at the beginning, our first parents had lost their friendship with God because of their disobedience. Abraham’s story makes me think about Job. The Lord tested Job to the limit. He lost all of his possessions, his children and even his wife jeered at him. But Job endured all kinds of human sufferings, and he still trusts God.
Jesus’ transfiguration was a marvelous experience of Peter, James and John. If any of us was on Mount Tabor that day with Peter, John and James, I think, like Peter, we don’t want to leave there. Why? It is because we have seen our Lord’s glorious figure. Jesus’ transfiguration gives us hope and joy that the world cannot give. Was Jesus’ transfiguration necessary? Yes. Jesus wants his disciples to foretaste his resurrection and glorification. However, like God tested Abraham’s faith, Jesus’ faith will also be tested to the limit. His disciples also will be tested.
The transfiguration revealed to the world an important message that is: the cross and resurrection have to go hand in hand together. Christians cannot talk about the cross without the resurrection of Jesus. Nor Christians cannot talk about the resurrection without the cross.
Lenten season is the time Jesus’ disciples review their faith in God the Father. Is my faith strong as of Abraham and Jesus? Just ask ourselves a question like: If I lose my job, if I lose my spouse, if I have chronic pain, or if I was insulted because of His Name, do I still trust in God’s providence? Do I obey God if God tells us to do what we do not like to do? Do we still obey God, if God takes away our comfortable life, our possessions, our loved ones, or our own plan?
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I would like to tell you this: if you tell me that you don’t have any cross, you feel good and no one or nothing is in your ways, I am worried for you. If you tell me you have some crosses to bear, I pray for your perseverance, but I am also happy for you because you are doing God’s will. Many people abandoned their Christian faith because they focus on their own problems or suffering, not on Jesus. They lost their faith because they listened to the word of God with their emotion and sensation, not with the eyes of faith. In Lent, we should practice our “surrender” to God’s Will.
The Lenten season always reminds us about Jesus’ cross. His cross is our consolation, our strength, and our salvation. At each station we pray: “We adore You, O Lord, and we praise you, because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.” Today, through Jesus’ transfiguration, He gave his disciple a revelation: “if we share the Cross with Jesus in this life, we will share his glory in the next life."
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Stayton OR 97383
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Stayton OR 97383
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Stayton OR 97383
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