Daily Readings - Sun Feb 25 2018

First Reading - Genesis 22.1-2, 9-13, 15-18

¹And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.²And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.⁹And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.¹⁰And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.¹¹And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.¹²And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.¹³And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.¹⁵And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,¹⁶And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:¹⁷That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;¹⁸And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Second Reading - Romans 8.31b-35, 37

Romans

Chapter 8

³¹What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?³²He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?³³Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.³⁴Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?³⁷Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Gospel - Mark 9.2-10

Mark

Chapter 9

²And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.³And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.⁴And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.⁵And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.⁶For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.⁷And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.⁸And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.⁹And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.¹⁰And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound themes of trust, faith, and the revelation of God’s love. In the first reading, we witness Abraham’s unwavering faith as he is tested by God. Called to sacrifice his only son Isaac, Abraham’s obedience, even in the face of unimaginable difficulty, demonstrates his deep trust in God’s plan. This story is not just a test of Abraham’s faith but also a foreshadowing of God’s ultimate sacrifice—His only Son, Jesus Christ. The context of this passage is rooted in the covenant relationship between God and Abraham, highlighting the importance of faithfulness and trust in divine providence. The second reading from Romans builds on this theme of trust and divine love. St. Paul reminds us that if God did not spare His own Son for our sake, He will surely give us all things. This passage reassures us of God’s unwavering support and love, even in the face of trials and tribulations. It invites us to place our trust in God, knowing that nothing can separate us from His love. The context here is one of encouragement, urging believers to remain steadfast in their faith despite the challenges of life. The Gospel takes us to the mountain of the Transfiguration, where Jesus reveals His divine glory to Peter, James, and John. This moment is a revelation of Jesus’ true identity as the beloved Son of God, and it serves as a source of strength for the disciples as they prepare to face the trials of His Passion and death. The voice from the cloud reminds them—and us—to “listen to Him,” to trust in His words and His plan. The context of this passage is one of preparation, equipping the disciples (and us) to trust in Jesus even when the path ahead seems uncertain. These readings are deeply interconnected. Abraham’s trust in God prefigures the ultimate act of love in the sacrifice of Jesus. The Transfiguration reinforces the divine authority of Jesus, inviting us to place our trust in Him. Together, they remind us that faith is not about understanding everything but about trusting in God’s plan, even when it seems difficult or unclear. In our daily lives, these readings call us to reflect on where we place our trust. Do we trust in God’s plan, even when it seems challenging? Do we listen to Jesus, even when the path ahead is uncertain? Let us draw strength from these readings, remembering that God’s love for us is unwavering, and His plan for us is always one of life and hope. May we, like Abraham, trust in God’s providence, and may we, like the disciples, listen to Jesus and follow Him faithfully.