Greater Holiness of Life

03-02-2023Weekly ReflectionFr. Anthony Okolo, C.S.Sp, V.F.

The liturgy of this second Sunday of Lent invites us on a faith journey to a greater holiness of life, through a profound life of prayer, charity and fasting. These exercises, when done in humility of spirit, draw us closer to God. The journey towards holiness requires faith which motivates us to a life of true prayer and sacrifice. The first reading is a call of Abraham to begin a journey of faith to an unknown destination but known to God who called him. The period of Lent is also a call to begin a journey of faith that will culminate in the death and resurrection of Christ at Easter. Abraham steps out with faith not knowing where he was going but relies on the fact that God is a faithful one who will always keep His promises. As we continue our journey in this season of grace let us not lose sight that His promises are eternal, and God will give us the graces we need.

The second reading calls us to bear the hardship that comes from the gospel with the strength that comes from God. To be able to bear the hardship that comes from the Gospel is our witness to the world of our faith in Jesus who is our savior. When we bear such hardship from the Gospel with patience and open spirit, it gives credence to our love of Christ. The period of Lent is the period we undertake some physical deprivation on ourselves which is geared towards a holy life. According to John Bergsma, “Holiness is a profound concept. It entails morally upright behavior, that is not enough. The holy is that which mediates the divine presence. So, we need upright lives which are, moreover, touched with divine grace, infused with the Holy Spirit. People should be able to say, “He’s not just a good person but a godly person. Those who are seeking God should be drawn to us because they sense the presence of God in our lives.”

The Gospel is the story of the transfiguration of Jesus. The message of the transfiguration is that when we are able to endure the cross, we encounter the Lord face to face where we would be transformed. Peter, before the transfiguration, rebuked Jesus for saying the Messiah would suffer and it was to show Peter what awaits the Messiah at the end that he took him up the mountain. It is a foretaste of the Glory of Christ at the resurrection. “The sight of his glory is given to Peter, James and John to encourage them to persevere through the difficult times that lay in front of them before they witness Christ’s resurrection.” The passage is meant to encourage us to continue to remain steadfast in our resolve to do penance during this Lenten season with the hope that something greater awaits us at the end. However, it is not just during this Lenten season but to continue to persevere in our journey of faith with hope that we would be rewarded with seeing the face of God at the end.

Fr. Tony Okolo C.S.Sp., V.F.

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