Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18, Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14, Philippians 3:17---4:1, Luke 9:28B-36

Second Sunday of Lent

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

From the shining cloud the Father's voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him. Matthew 17:5

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18, Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14,

Philippians 3:17---4:1, Luke 9:28B-36

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

When God gives, He gives in abundance. He knows no other way of giving. He promised Abraham descendants more numerous than the stars in the night sky. Abraham believed and his faith was pleasing to God. In my own experience, Beloved, I have found how gracious and kind You have been to me even though I am undeserving of such blessings. 

Even though the night is dark and deep it cannot overcome Your Light. This is the hope we can cling to no matter how distant You may seem, for in truth, You never leave us.

Thank You for the Covenant made with Abraham and the subsequent Covenants that He made with the chosen people and the final Covenant of Love sealed in Your Blood.


Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The psalmist has discovered the graciousness, goodness, and abiding love of God and he cannot stop extolling how worthy He is of praise. 

I too, my Lord have found, like the psalmist how undeserving I am of such love but You love me anyway. You are my light, my salvation, my refuge, my comfort. You hear me even when my cry is soundless and You answer me. My heart calls Your Name unceasingly, my gaze is lifted to You through the day even when I am unaware of it. I am always in Your Presence awake or asleep. Never hide Yourself from me, Beloved for if You do I will not be able to bear it.

Thank You for the Gift of Your Holy Spirit, my Helper who lives in me and make my body His temple. I trust You to grant me all the graces I need to persevere to the end.


Philippians 3:17---4:1

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

How confident Paul is of the fact that he is an authentic disciple and he encourages us to imitate him and model our lives on him.

Beloved, we who have been baptized and grafted into Your Body, should be able to say the same thing with equal conviction but we cannot because it would not be true. We struggle daily in our walk with You. But we thank You for the grace that enables us to persevere daily.

If we live in the world and follow the culture that is touted by the world it will be to our destruction and to our shame. We cannot worship the flesh. We cannot muck around in the pig pen of the current culture that glorifies the self and is blind to the Presence of the Triune God in us. 

Keep us faithful, Beloved, that at the end of this life You will come for us and present us to the Father, and we will receive the inheritance that has been prepared for us since the foundations of the world.


Luke 9:28B-36

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You took the three disciples who were closest to You up to the mountain to pray. Most times You went alone, but this time You invited them to accompany You. That in itself is a privilege. They watched You leave them many times to go by Yourself to pray, often You spent the whole night in prayer. They knew how You longed to get away from the crowds and even from them to be alone with Your Father and they were glad that You picked them to go with You.

Their excitement was soon overcome by weariness as the climb up the mountain was perhaps difficult and while You were praying they fell asleep. This is the first time that they would do so, the second time will be in the Garden of Gethsemane. Hearing voices they wake up to witness Your Transfiguration and to see Moses and Elijah representing the Law and the Prophets. They were speaking to You about the Way of Suffering leading to death that You would soon have to undergo. 

Peter, James, and John were given a glimpse of Your divinity so that later on they would recall this moment, reveal it to their companions, and be strengthened in their faith. Peter wanted to hold on to the moment by putting up tents there and keeping You up there so he could savour Your glory. But God's ways are not our ways. They heard the Father's voice saying to them and to all who desire to be Your disciples, "This is my chosen Son; listen to him." 

If only the whole world would listen to You, Beloved, it would hasten Your coming in glory.  Grant that at least we who believe may listen to You always.