Apparition of Moses and Elijah while Peter John and James are with Jesus in prayer

February 21, 2016

Second Sunday of Lent

Saint of the Day: Saint peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (1007-1072)

Reading 1

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

5The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” He added, “shall your descendants be.” 6Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.[1]

7He then said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans

to give you this land as a possession.” 8“O Lord GOD,” he asked, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?” 9He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”[2] 

10Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. 11Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them.

12As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. 17When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces.[3]

18It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”[4]

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.

1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

7Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call; 8have pity on me, and answer me. Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

9Your presence, O LORD, I seek. Hide not your face from me; do not in anger repel your servant. You are my helper: cast me not off.

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

13I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. 14Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Reading 2

Philippians 3:17

3:17Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us.[5][6]

3:18For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. 3:19Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied with earthly things.

3:20But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. [7]3:21He will change our lowly body to conform with His glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to Himself.

4:1Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,

in this way stand firm in the Lord.

OR PPhilippians 3:20 - 4;1 

3:20Brothers and sisters: Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 3:21He will change our lowly body to conform with His glorified body by the power that enables Him also to bring all things into subjection to Himself.

4:1Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,

in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.

Verse Before The Gospel compare with Matthew 17:5

From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard:

This is my beloved Son, hear Him.

Gospel

Luke 9:28b-36

28bJesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.

29While He was praying His face changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white.

30And behold, two men were conversing with Him, Moses and Elijah,[8] 31who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.[9]

32Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.[10]

33As they were about to part from Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying.[11]

34While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.[12]

35Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to Him.”[13] 36After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.[14] 

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Notes on Readings:

[1] Genesis 15:6 - Abraham's faith in God's promises was regarded as an act of righteousness, that is, as expressing the "right" attitude of man toward God. In turn, God credited this to Abraham, gave him title to the fulfillment of God's promises, that is. St. Paul (Romans 4:1-25; Galatians 3:6-9) makes Abraham's faith a model for that of Christians.

[2] Genesis 15:9 - Three-year-old: ritually mature.

[3] Genesis 15:17 - Brazier: literally "oven"; a portable one is meant here. The smoke and fire represent God's presence. Although the text does not mention it, Abraham no doubt also walked between the split carcasses. For the meaning of this strange ceremony, see footnote on Jeremiah 34:18-19.

[4] Genesis 15:18 - Made a covenant: literally "cut a covenant"; the expression derives from the ceremony of cutting the animals in two.

[5] Philippians 3:17-21 - Paul and those who live a life centered in Christ, envisaging both His suffering and resurrection, provide a model that is the opposite of opponents who reject Christ's cross (compare with 1 Corinthians 1;23).

[6] Philippians 3:17 - Being imitators of me: not arrogance, but humble simplicity, since all his converts know that Paul is wholly dedicated to imitating Christ (1 Corinthians 11;1; compare also with Philippians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:7, 9; 1 Corinthians 4:6).

[7]  Philippians 3:20 - Citizenship: Christians constitute a colony of heaven, as Philippi was a colonia of Rome (Acts 16;12). The hope Paul expresses involves the final coming of Christ, not a status already attained, such as the opponents claim.

[8] Luke 9:30 - Moses and Elijah: the two figures represent the Old Testament law and the prophets. At the end of this episode, the heavenly voice will identify Jesus as the one to be listened to now (Luke 9:35). See also the footnote on Mark 9:5.

[9] Luke 9:31 - His exodus that He was going to accomplish in Jerusalem: Luke identifies the subject of the conversation as the exodus of Jesus, a reference to the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus that will take place in Jerusalem, the city of destiny (see Luke 9:51). The mention of exodus, however, also calls to mind the Israelite Exodus from Egypt to the promised land.

[10] Luke 9:32 - They saw his glory: the glory that is proper to God is here attributed to Jesus (see Luke 24;26).

[11] Luke 9:33 - Let us make three tents: in a possible allusion to the feast of Tabernacles, Peter may be likening his joy on the occasion of the transfiguration to the joyful celebration of this harvest festival.

[12] Luke 9:34 - Over them: it is not clear whether them refers to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, or to the disciples. For the cloud casting its shadow, see the footnote on Mark 9:7.

[13] Luke 9:35 - Like the heavenly voice that identified Jesus at His baptism prior to His undertaking the Galilean ministry (Luke 3:22), so too here before the journey to the city of destiny is begun (Luke 9:51) the heavenly voice again identifies Jesus as Son. Listen to him: the two representatives of Israel of old depart (Luke 9:33) and Jesus is left alone (Luke 9:36) as the teacher whose words must be heeded (see also Acts 3:22).

[14] Luke 9:36 - At that time: before the resurrection, that is.