Weekend of February 24, 2024
Lectio Divina
Weekend of February 24th, 2024
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are love. You are goodness. You are truth. Walk with me through Your holy Word and help me to open my heart more fully to the love, truth, and goodness that You seek to share with me. Help me to let go of any preconceived notions so that You can be transfigured in my life. Amen.
1st Reading Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am!" he replied. Then God said: "Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you." When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the LORD's messenger called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" "Here I am!" he answered. "Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger. "Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son." As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. Again the LORD's messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing—all this because you obeyed my command."
Reflection
I think that we can agree that Isaac is the personificaiton of dream fulfillment by God for Abraham. God knows what we hold close. He knows what we value. He knows our Isaacs. It is important to recognize that God is not waiting in the wings to destroy our dreams or what we love, that is not the point of this passage. God is asking us, "Do you trust Me to take care of this and share this with you?" In Lent we often are reflecting on what God is asking us to give up, to sacrifice. This week I want you to spend time with our Lord reflecting on the dreams and hopes that you hold very close to your heart. Can you in prayer, "offer" this to God? Can you share the dream with Him and tell Him that you trust Him with it?
Responsorial PsalmPsalm 116
R. (116:9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I said, "I am greatly afflicted." Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people, In the courts of the house of the LORD, In your midst, O Jerusalem.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
Reflection
I believed, even when I said, "I am greatly afflicted." Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones. I think we tend to think of Job when we see the words, greatly afflicted. Let's step back from the extreme examples of greatly afflicted and apply this Psalm to just plain afflicted. Our Lenten resolves have us living the truth of this Psalm. For example, one of my Lenten promises is to abstain from sweets. Every afternoon I am afflicted. My body begins to crave sugar, my mind begins to crave sugar, and yes my heart begins to desire sugar. It is my faith that holds me fast to my promise. My relationship with God allows me to know that if I eat sugar God still loves me. I also believe that when I die to myself this little bit, God can use that little death to grace me on the journey. As Lent continues, and our Lenten resolve creates affliction, repeat the words of this Psalm, "I believed, even when I said, "I am greatly afflicted." Trust that in that moment your simple act of faith is indeed precious in the eyes of the Lord.
2nd Reading Rom 8:31b-34
Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
how will he not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us, who will condemn?
Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised—
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.
Reflection
Brothers and sisters: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? St. Paul reminds us of a truth that I think we can often forget especially when we are in the shoes of Abraham asked to trust Him with what we love or in the shoes of the greatly afflicted psalmist. God is for us. St. John begins his gospel with the same declaration of amazing news, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). We must live this Lent with the end in sight. We all face trials and afflictions, BUT, we do not face them alone. Spend time this week praising God for the moments where you have witnessed this truth and then search your heart for any hardness that has rejected this truth. Bring your heart to the Divine Physician and allow Him to do what no other can.
Gospel Mk 9:2-10
Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.
Reflection
For this weeks Gospel reflection I am bringing you a bonus Gospel! See below Additional resources. As I read today's Gospel (below) and then Sunday's Gospel (in preparation for this post) I became very excited! Holy Spirit is in the house! Every single day in all of our circumstances Jesus is asking us, "Who do you say I am?" Perhaps when we are upset and He bring perspective we answer, "Peace and wisdom." When we are freed from illness or infirmity, "Healer." When we are lonely, "Friend." Take time this week to sit in prayer and make a list of all of the ways that you can answer Jesus' question to us. Now spend time looking at that list and consider this, Jesus is every good, true, beautiful, and holy descriptor noun that exists. He seeks to be all those to you. We limit Him when we only allow Him to be Who we expect Him to be. Spend time in prayer asking Jesus Who He wants to be to you. Where in your life are you deeply desiring Him? This is a moment of transfiguration! Jesus is waiting for us to see and welcome Him for Who He desires to be in our lives. Climb the mountain of prayer with Jesus and open your heart to Who He desires to show you.
Additional Resources
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 16)
