Welcome to our Bible Study

2nd Sunday of Lent B1 March 2015

In preparation for this Sunday’s liturgy

As aid in focusing our homilies and sharing

Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

1st Reading: Gen 22:1-2.9.10-13.15-18 1 God put Abraham to the test. Command and Instructions He called to him, "Abraham!" "Ready!" he replied. 2 Then God said: "Take

your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.“

Execution and Obedience 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an

altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. 10 Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

God’s Intervention 11 But the LORD'S messenger called to him from heaven, "Abraham,

Abraham!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. 12 "Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger. "Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.“ 13 As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

Promise of Blessing 15 Again the LORD'S messenger called to Abraham from heaven 16 and

said: "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, 17 I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, 18 and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing-- all this because you obeyed my command.''

1st Reading: Gen 22:1-2.9.10-13.15-18

1 God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, "Abraham!" "Ready!" he replied. 2 Then God said: "Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.“ 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. 10 Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

Commentary V.1 announces what God will do

to Abraham. He is going to test his faith in

him. God calls Abraham and he

replies. In v.2, God instructs Abraham

to bring his son to Moriah. His son is described as the ‘one

and only, whom you love…’ It highlights the big sacrifice,

which Abraham is going to make, if he truly believes in God.

The land of Moriah is Jerusalem, where the Temple of Jerusalem would later stand.

God instructs him to offer a holocaust (a burnt offering).

The focus is on the faith of Abraham.

1st Reading: Gen 22:1-2.9.10-13.15-18

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. 10 Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

In v.9, Abraham obeys what God had told him earlier to do:• builds an altar• puts wood on it• ties his son Isaac

In v.10, Abraham now takes his knife to slaughter his son.

What could have been the feeling of Abraham?

We can imagine he could be asking a lot of questions.• Why should he kill the son (of

promise)?• How can God fulfill his promise

to make him the father of all nations?

11 But the LORD'S messenger called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. 12 "Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger. "Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.“ 13 As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

In v.11, God intervenes with Abraham.

He calls him again by name and Abraham responds, Yes.

In v.12, God stops Abraham from slaughtering his son.

He also reveals his intention to test how devoted (faithful) he is to God.

In v.13, Abraham immediately finds a substitute (a ram) for the sacrifice.

15 Again the LORD'S messenger called to Abraham from heaven 16 and said: "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, 17 I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, 18 and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing-- all this because you obeyed my command.''

Vv.15-16 repeat what God has said in v.12. “Abraham has not withheld his son from God”.

Vv.17-18 complete the sentence with a promise:• To bless him abundantly• To make his descendants

countless• His descendants will

possess power over their enemies.

• His descendants will be the channel of blessings for all nations.

V.18 expressly gives the reason why Abraham has to be blessed:• Because he obeyed God.

Reflections on the 1st reading

Faith manifests its best when tested.

When you are tested, you are asked to give up something precious in your life.

When you are tested, you are asked to move from your comfort zone, to get out of your box, or to go beyond your logic or syllogism.

Faith means putting your trust totally in the wisdom of God, in the midst of contradictions (obedience).

When you have faith, you operate beyond the capacity of your brain.

Resp. Ps 116:10. 15. 16-17. 18-19

R. (116:9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

10 I believed, even when I said,"I am greatly afflicted."15 Precious in the eyes of the LORDis the death of his faithful ones.

16 O LORD, I am your servant;I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;you have loosed my bonds.17 To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

18 My vows to the LORD I will payin the presence of all his people,19 In the courts of the house of the LORD,in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Resp. Ps 116:10. 15. 16-17. 18-19

R. (116:9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

10 I believed, even when I said,"I am greatly afflicted."15 Precious in the eyes of the LORDis the death of his faithful ones.

16 O LORD, I am your servant;I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;you have loosed my bonds.17 To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

18 My vows to the LORD I will payin the presence of all his people,19 In the courts of the house of the LORD,in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Commentary

The psalm looks like the prayer of Abraham.

The liturgists appropriately chose this psalm as the response to the first reading..15

V.10 represents the feeling of Abraham.

V.15 looks favorably on the death of a God-fearing person.

V.16 identifies the psalmist himself: servant, slave

In v.17, the psalmist promises to offer sacrifices and prayers.

In vv.18-19, the psalmist continues to recognize God in the Temple of Jerusalem. He will do it publicly.

Reflections on the Psalm

We, too, experience the pain and afflictions, when a loved one dies.

We must be consoled by God’s attitude toward the death of his faithful one.

We must make sure that our loved ones must be God-fearing.

Like the psalmist, no matter what, we should worship God with the community.

We should not be ashamed to praise God even if he acts mysteriously.

2nd Reading: Romans 8:31b-34

31 If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? 33 Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. 34 Who will condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

2nd Reading: Romans 8:31b-34

Question and Answer 1

31 If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

Question and Answer 2

33 Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us.

Question and Answer 3

34 Who will condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

2nd Reading: Romans 8:31b-34Question and Answer 1 31 If God is for us, who

can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

Question and Answer 2 33 Who will bring a

charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us.

Question and Answer 3 34 Who will condemn?

It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

Commentary

The passage consoles Christians, who are undergoing persecution.

V.31 affirms that if God is for us, those who oppose us do not matter.

V.32 implies that we should not complain if we suffer. Jesus himself suffered because of us.

In his glorified body, God will also deliver his Son to us.

V.33 implies that we should not be afraid if someone accuses us just because we are practicing Christians.

God himself will acquit us because he is the judge. Those against us are false accusers.

V.34 implies that no one can condemn us except Christ, but Christ himself intercedes for us in heaven.

It implies that there is no condemnation for the Christian believer.

Reflections on the 2nd reading Paul tries to console the Christians, who experience

oppositions and persecutions.

Paul affirms that God is for the believer. He will not abandon him/her.

If ever we are sent to court because of our faith, God will find a way to release us.

If we are guilty of committing crimes (sins) because of our weakness, Christ will intercede for us (mitigate our punishment or seek our pardon).

God is like a lawyer, who does not abandon his client and defends him/ her up to the end.

Everything will be alright if we have faith in God. God works in a mysterious way, as he did to his Son Jesus, when they persecuted and killed him. God will do the same to us if we remain faithful to him.

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:2-10

2 Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. 4 Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6 He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. 7 Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." 8 Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

The focus is on the transfiguration of Jesus.

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:2-10The Setting 2 Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain

apart by themselves. The Transfiguration And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became

dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. The appearance of Elijah and Moses 4 Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were

conversing with Jesus. Peter 5 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are

here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6 He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.

The Father 7 Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the

cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." 8 Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

The charge 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not

to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Gospel Reading:

Mark 9:2-10

The Setting 2 Jesus took Peter,

James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.

The Transfiguration And he was

transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

The appearance of Elijah and Moses

4 Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

Commentary

V.2 gives the setting of the transfiguration.• The name of the mountain is not

mentioned, but we know it as Mt. Tabor.

V.2b indicates Jesus is transfigured, in front of the apostles.• Imagine how they reacted.

V.3 indicates that his clothing also changed.

V.4 mentions the appearance of Elijah and Moses.

Elijah represents the prophets; Moses the Torah (Pentateuch).

What are they conversing about?

Gospel Reading: Mark

9:2-10

Peter 5 Then Peter said to

Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6 He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.

The Father 7 Then a cloud came,

casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." 8 Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

V.5 indicates that the vision is awesome, so much so that Peter offers to Jesus to build 3 tents.• The tents reminisce the tents on

Mt. Sinai, when the Israelites received the Torah.

Until now the Jews build tents during the joyful feast of Succoth (tents, booths). (They will celebrate on Sept 30 to Oct 7, 2012).

V.6 indicates Peter does not know what he is saying, simply because they are overwhelmed by the vision (terrified, afraid).

In v.7, the transfiguration reaches its climax.• The Father affirms his Son of his

authority.

In v.8, everything becomes normal.

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:2-10

The charge 9 As they were coming

down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

V.9 closes the story. The story began with the movement “going up,” now it ends with “going down.”

Jesus charges the apostles to keep their experience to themselves, until after his resurrection.

Can they keep a secret?

V.10 says they can, but they continue asking the meaning of the resurrection.

Reflections on the gospel reading The transfiguration is relevant in the face of the

upcoming passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

It gives a glimpse of what will happen to Jesus after he suffers and dies.

The apostles who see the event are transformed.

They have a nice feeling.

They volunteer to build booths to prolong their stay there.

Immediately, these fishermen become carpenters.

One becomes creative when there is an experience of overwhelming joy, when one encounters a very pleasant sight.

Yet, after the beautiful vision, Jesus challenges

the apostles to postpone their excitement to

spread the news.

The transfiguration is properly understood by

them and by their listeners only after the

resurrection.

They should not pre-empt everything. Otherwise,

they will find a hard time explaining.

The transfiguration must be told on hindsight, in

the light of the resurrection.

Tying the three readings and the Psalm

Abraham obeyed God without conditions (1st

reading).

The psalmist teaches submission (obedience) to God’s will, like submission to the death of a faithful one.

There are many benefits that come from believing in God (obeying him). (2nd reading)

The apostles obey Jesus when he tells them to postpone their story until the appropriate time. (gospel)

We focus on obedience.

How to develop your homily and sharing

Relate how difficult it is today to exact obediencefrom children and students. (due to problems with authority, moral ascendancy, unclarity, etc.)

Develop how important it is to obey God: • 1) obedience to God is righteousness (1st reading)

• 2) God does not abandon those who obey him in faith (2nd reading)

• 3) God has his own plan, we must follow. (gospel reading)

Education/formation should lead us to follow rules and regulations.

Our dilemma right now is that we may be following a law, which is immoral. Hence, the confusion.

Transformation only happens when we obey a higher authority (Jesus, God).

In the transfiguration, God the Father tells the apostles, “Listen to him.” (Obey him.)

The season of Lent asks us to transform our lives, our families and our society by obeyingGod.

Conversion is expressed through obedience.

Just as we follow instructions on • how to operate a machine,

• how to produce a good product, how to cook good food,

• how to maintain engines,

• how to manage our families and churches and communities,

• how to make an accounting.

so we follow instructions on how to become holy. We, as Catholics, must believe that God is speaking through

our shepherds (priests, bishops, pope, theologians).

They instruct us by laying out principles through their pastoral letters and documents on how best to practice our faith here and now. We know what to espouse and what to avoid through the catechism.

If you are discerning all alone, be prepared for the many pitfalls you have not anticipated.

What happens if we do not obey anyone or

anything? (chaos, disorder, anarchy, etc.)

A seminary professor once said, ”There is nothing wrong in obeying, but if you disobey you are in trouble.”

Obedience to God (doing his plan) is a sign of

conversion / transformation during this season of Lent.

The eucharist is a sign of our obedience to

God. “Take and eat… do this in memory of

me.”

In this eucharist, we pray that we, too, may

become obedient to God like Christ.

In the eucharist, we obediently celebrate

our transformation.

Our Context of Sin and Grace

Disobedient

Hard headed

Does not know how to follow rules.

Does not read instructions

Autocratic

Anarchic

Autonomic

Chaotic

Obedient

Transformed

Agents of change

Social transformation

Converted

Knows how to discern God’s will

Suggested Songs

Biyayang Mula Sa ‘Yo• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxbmC_LVJrQ

If God is for us

Sino ang Makapaghihiwalay

Hosea• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrYhNWt03oE&feature=rel

ated