2nd Sunday of Lent

 It is only in the Gospel of Luke that we discover the content of the conversation between Jesus, Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration: "... they were speaking of his (Jesus') departure (Gk. exodus), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." (Lk 9: 31) The brief revelation of Jesus' glory to the three apostles has a purpose. It tells them that they cannot expect to stay in the realm of spiritual ecstasy while they journey with Jesus. The journey for the disciples is indeed through the narrow gate of suffering and tribulation. The narrative of the Law and prophets is given shape not primarily by the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt rather it is oriented to the greater victory of Jesus not over Pharaoh but over Satan and death, which is the consequence of sin. Not only does he accomplish this for himself but as the new Moses, he will lead us too to be transformed by his glory, not just in this life, but for eternity. As we hear in our Second Reading from St Paul to the Philippians: "But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself." (Phil 3: 20)

1st Sunday of Lent

 The fact that Jesus was tempted tells us that it is not a sin to be subject to temptation since: "For we do not have a high priest (Jesus) who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, be we have one who in every respect has been tested, as we are, yet without sin." (Heb 4: 15) The nature of those temptations: the appetites, worldly power and glory, and fame through wonder working, are evident in human history and our society today. One only needs to peruse social media and television to see that human nature has not changed in all this time. If anything, with the developments in technology and communications, these things have become even more immediate and sometimes destructive as we see in the power of narcotics. Sometimes we are so inured to our harmful habits we become blind to the temptations which are dangled before our eyes by advertisers or other purveyors of products for sensual gratification. The remedy, however, to these temptations remains the same - the Word of God. Jesus responds to the enticements of the devil by replying on Scripture and its saving message which instructs us to: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him." (Lk 4: 8) By observing Lent we shine the light of God's Word on our lives so that we may master our petty and insidious idolatries. In this way we are enabled to serve God more fully. It is only in this servitude that we find true freedom.