By Fr. Andrew Kelly
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT – FEB. 24
Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 9:28-36) is about the believing community’s normal Sunday encounter with the risen Jesus.
Jesus takes the community — along with Peter, John and James — and goes “up on the mountain to pray.”
Transfiguration and transformation happen every Sunday when Jesus is praying with the community. Jesus becomes mystically transparent revealing the mystery of the holy person Jesus is.
In this prayerful, awesome atmosphere the Scriptures are proclaimed. The community hears Moses and Elijah in conversation with Jesus about the meaning of Jesus’ upcoming departure (exodus) through death and resurrection.
Often, like Peter, John and James, the community does not always understand and misinterprets the events occurring on the sacred mountain of the Eucharist.
This is the moment the cloud of God’s presence overshadows and surrounds the community. The voice of God interprets for the believing community what is going on:
“This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to my Son!”
The community becomes silent in solemn awareness, like Peter, John and James, that they are alone with the risen Jesus.
On Sundays, for the faith-filled community, the profound beauty of being alone on the mountain praying with the risen Jesus is truly something never to be missed.
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for Feb. 24 to March 3
Sunday
Gn 15:5-12, 17-18
Phil 3:17—4:1 or Phil 3:20—4:1
Lk 9:28b-36
Monday
Dn 9:4b-10
Lk 6:36-38
Tuesday
Is 1:10, 16-20
Mt 23:1-12
Wednesday
Jer 18:18-20
Mt 20:17-28
Thursday
Jer 17:5-10
Lk 16:19-31
Friday
Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a
Mt 21:33-43, 45-46
Saturday
Mi 7:14-15, 18-20
Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
Sunday
Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15
1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12
Lk 13:1-9