Imagine this for a second--Abram holding back a little chuckle as God reveals his plan. Imagine further if Abram could see the heavens through the eyes of the Hubble Telescope and know for certain it’s impossible to count the “number of stars in the heavens”! God’s promise was simply beyond Abraham’s imagination.
That didn’t make it less possible for God to fulfill.
Lent is a time to reflect on the promises God has made and fulfilled.
God made good on his promise to redeem the world from the darkness of sin and death. He sent his Son, Jesus, whose obedience and sacrifice redeemed the world. Like Abram, we might struggle to understand what God has done for us. But if we begin to see—even in the slightest—then we realize what a great gift we’ve received. We’ve been given the gift of Eternal Life, the chance to live with God forever.
This is the gift that Christ’s death and resurrection has secured for us.
Lent is a time to reflect on transformation.
Another theme in today’s readings that guides us on our Lenten journey is that of Jesus’ transformation. Peter, James, and John witnessed Jesus in the fullness of his glory and were overwhelmed. This sneak peek at the Divine Jesus helps us realize that we too must be transformed into the mystical Body of Christ.
St. Paul spoke about our need to experience this metamorphosis when he wrote to the Galatians… “I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). We always seek to follow in Christ’s footsteps so we can pick up our crosses and follow the rocky road of our lives. It’s not an easy thing to do.
We “let go and let God” in baby steps, learning to surrender ourselves to God’s will as we overcome our trials and frustrations in life. It’s our transformation.
It’s not easy.
St. Paul confronted some early followers of Jesus who called themselves Christians, but were, he said, “…enemies of the cross of Christ.” St. Paul’s words are important to all followers of Christ—especially today. Paul asked the Philippians to, “join with others in being imitators of me.” This is an invitation from a man who himself experienced a powerful transformation, and as a follower of Christ imitated him in every way.
St. Paul is an excellent example for us on our Lenten Journey. He knew what it took to transform into a true follower of Christ. He put in the work. He knew how to subdue the enemy within – by constant prayer, fasting, and charitable works. These are good activities for us to take part in this Lenten season as we work to quell our own “enemies within” so we can experience the type of transformation Jesus and St. Paul modeled for us.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
Recommendations
Book: Fr. Thomas Massaro, S.J., "Living Justice,” Catholic Social Teaching in Action.
Fr. Massaro’s work is a classic, teaching about the history and building blocks of social justice through the lens of our Catholic faith. This updated edition is an important read, even if you’ve read the older editions before. Fr. Massaro discusses the impact of Pope Francis on the subject of Catholic social justice.
Podcast: Fr. Mike Schmitz: “Bible in a Year.”
We read the Bible at Mass, and you may read it at home, too—but you haven’t read it like this. In the “Bible in a Year” podcast, Fr. Mike uses “The Great Adventure Timeline” to divide the Bible into twelve periods, bringing in experts to discuss the important elements and background to the readings through the year.
This is a great way to begin our Lenten Journey. Here is Episode 1, updated for 2022.
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