Second Sunday of Lent

Year A

Readings: Genesis 12;1-4, Timothy 1:8-10, Matthew 17:1-9

Listen to Him

The Gospel reading of today speaks of the transfiguration of the Lord. Jesus’ appearance changed on the high mountain: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white. Moses and Elijah were talking with him and all this was witnessed by Jesus’ three disciples: Peter, James and John. Not surprisingly, Peter blurts out his wonderful plan, “I’ll make three tents” he says, “one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah!” But his plan goes unnoticed, as a cloud surrounds them and they hear the proclamation from the Father, “This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.” Peter’s plans were not God’s plans, for God wanted him to listen.

Quite often we too have wonderful plans; plans to make our lives better, plans for a safe and healthy lifestyle for our family, plans to have a comfortable and well sourced retirement, plans to give good and valued education to our children, and so on. And many of these plans are genuine and worth it. The challenge is, are we too immersed in planning our life and fail to live and cherish life? Are we too busy putting the things away for tomorrow, and fail to make use of them today? We see the panic buying around us these days, don’t we?

Our loving God invites us today to listen. Listen to what is going on around us. Listen to the voice of the voiceless. Listen to the cries of those who have not. Listen to the people struggling with trauma. Listen to the subtle voice of God in our busy life. Listen Deeply says Mrs Wallace in her book while talking about the need of the Aboriginal people of our country. Let us listen; stop and listen and respond accordingly.

We do need plans, we do need to put things away for tomorrow, we do need to do this and that, but let us not spend our lives just planning and putting away, rather listen and live our life today, here and now. For, as we hear in the second reading, “God has saved us and called us to be holy - not because of anything we ourselves have done, but for his own purpose and by his own grace.” Let us embrace this grace, listen to God, and go forth, like Abram, without worrying and planning too much for tomorrow. God will look after us, if we can listen to God’s voice.