Daily Readings - Sun Feb 28 2021

¹After these things occurred, God tested Abraham, and he said to him, "Abraham, Abraham." And he answered, "Here I am.²He said to him: "Take your only begotten son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of vision. And there you shall offer him as a holocaust upon one of the mountains, which I will show to you.⁹And they came to the place that God had shown to him. There he built an altar, and he set the wood in order upon it. And when he had bound his son Isaac, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood¹⁰And he reached out his hand and took hold of the sword, in order to sacrifice his son¹¹And behold, an Angel of the Lord called out from heaven, saying, "Abraham, Abraham." And he answered, "Here I am.¹²And he said to him, "Do not extend your hand over the boy, and do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, since you have not spared your only begotten son for my sake.¹³Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw behind his back a ram among the thorns, caught by the horns, which he took and offered as a holocaust, instead of his son¹⁵Then the Angel of the Lord called out to Abraham a second time from heaven, saying¹⁶"By my own self, I have sworn, says the Lord. Because you have done this thing, and have not spared your only begotten son for my sake¹⁷I will bless you, and I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies¹⁸And in your offspring, all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you obeyed my voice.

Romans

Chapter 8

³¹So, what should we say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us³²He who did not spare even his own Son, but handed him over for the sake of us all, how could he not also, with him, have given us all things³³Who will make an accusation against the elect of God? God is the One who justifies³⁴who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus who has died, and who has indeed also risen again, is at the right hand of God, and even now he intercedes for us³⁵Then who will separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation? Or anguish? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or peril? Or persecution? Or the sword³⁷But in all these things we overcome, because of him who has loved us

Mark

Chapter 9

²And after six days, Jesus took with him Peter, and James, and John; and he led them separately to a lofty mountain alone; and he was transfigured before them³And his vestments became radiant and exceedingly white like snow, with such a brilliance as no fuller on earth is able to achieve⁴And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were speaking with Jesus⁵And in response, Peter said to Jesus: "Master, it is good for us to be here. And so let us make three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.⁶For he did not know what he was saying. For they were overwhelmed by fear⁷And there was a cloud overshadowing them. And a voice came from the cloud, saying: "This is my most beloved Son. Listen to him.⁸And immediately, looking around, they no longer saw anyone, except Jesus alone with them⁹And as they were descending from the mountain, he instructed them not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until after the Son of man will have risen again from the dead¹⁰And they kept the word to themselves, arguing about what "after he will have risen from the dead" might mean

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound themes of faith, trust, and the divine plan. In the first reading, we encounter Abraham, a man of deep faith, who is tested by God in a most dramatic way. Asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac, Abraham’s unwavering trust in God’s promise is put to the ultimate test. His willingness to obey, even in the face of such a heart-wrenching command, reveals the depth of his faith. This story is not just about Abraham’s obedience but also about God’s faithfulness. At the last moment, God intervenes, sparing Isaac and providing a ram as a substitute. This act underscores God’s mercy and His desire to provide, even in the most trying circumstances. In the second reading from Romans, St. Paul reminds us of the boundless love of God. He asks rhetorically, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” This question is rooted in the ultimate expression of God’s love—the sacrifice of His own Son for the sake of humanity. Paul reassures us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, not even the trials and tribulations of this life. This passage invites us to place our trust in God’s providence, knowing that He who gave us His Son will surely provide us with all that we need. The Gospel brings us to the mountaintop where Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John. In this moment, the divine glory of Jesus is revealed, and the disciples are given a glimpse of the eternal reality that lies beyond the cross. The voice of the Father echoes from the cloud, affirming Jesus as His beloved Son and commanding the disciples to listen to Him. This scene is a powerful reminder of the importance of trusting in God’s plan, even when the path ahead seems uncertain. Just as the disciples were strengthened by this vision, we too are called to fix our eyes on Christ and to trust in His guidance. These readings, when taken together, invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God. Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God’s promises, even when the road ahead is unclear. Like the disciples on the mountaintop, we are invited to listen to Jesus and to place our faith in His words. And like St. Paul, we are reminded that nothing can separate us from the love of God. As we navigate the challenges of our daily lives, let us draw strength from these readings. May we trust in God’s faithfulness, listen to His voice, and remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that He is always with us.