Second Sunday of Lent Cycle B

02/23/2021

February 28, 2021

Most of us have been in situations when we have had to look at how much we trust God. The readings will again help us to see that we have a God of great love and compassion. Difficult situations are seen only as His gift to us once we get through the difficulty...Do we trust?

The Gospel of Mark,

which is proclaimed this Sunday, deals with trusting. Remember that the Apostles had just begun to understand that Jesus was the Messiah, and they were filled with expectation that He would be a political leader and bring them to freedom from the Romans.

Jesus told them that He would be rejected by the religious leaders of the time, suffer, and would be killed. The Apostles were shocked. How could this be possible happen?

Jesus knew that they would need to be
given hope that all was not lost and that He truly is the Messiah, so He takes three of the Apostles up the mountain with him, and they experience the Transfiguration.

They experienced the glorified Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah. Remembering this experience would help them in difficult times that would come for them, for they had experienced that Jesus is God.

There will be moments for each of us when, in spite of our deep belief, we will find it difficult to comprehend what God is allowing in our lives.

This letter was written to a Community that St. Paul did not evangelize in person. They too, due to difficulties, struggles, rejections, persecutions, etc. at times doubted or trusted. St. Paul gave them hope and courage knowing that God was in control.

It can be refreshing to know that even those closest to the historical Jesus had moments of wondering how God was working,; how they could trust. The same can be true for us today.

In the first reading we once again meet Abraham, our "Father in Faith", and we see the great Faith that he and Sarah had.

First, they are willing to leave all their security, all of their family and country men, all of their customs and traditions and begin travels that will last for years into the wilderness.

They came to a country where they are immigrants and were rejected as all foreigners.

But Abraham had faith, that God would give him a son even though Sarah was barren.

And after some 24 years, Sarah gave birth in her old age to Isaac.

But what even more amazing was that they trusted God, and when Abraham was told to sacrifice (kill Isaac), Abraham once again trusted God.

This son, Isaac, was a sign of eternal life for Sarah and Abraham and now they were told to destroy him, yet they believed that God would provide.

...And at the last moment God did provide a sacrifice

other than Isaac.

Lent is that time that each of us can ask and pray pray for that same trust and faith in times of difficulties, in times when we find it hard to understand what God has allowed in our lives.

Everyday God, continues to reach out to each of us, often in ways that we do not understand.