Tag: fruits of the Holy Spirit

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Fifth Sunday of Easter

Grapes on a vine

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Acts 9:26-31
Responsorial: Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32
Reading 2: 1 John 3:18-24
Gospel: John 15:1-8

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050221.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

This weekend’s readings begin with Paul in the Acts of the Apostles. The events we will hear proclaimed came after Paul’s conversion experience.

Before we move on, I just want to point something out. Let’s call this a footnote to our first reading. Why did Paul come to Jerusalem? Luke will set out some facts in Acts, and Paul will give us a slightly different rationale in his letters, but I think it’s safe to draw at least one conclusion. Paul went to Jerusalem because he understood that in the ministry, he is not a lone ranger. At some level, Paul understands that he is part of the church, and that means, at minimum, that he must consult with the church if not submit to its authority.

I think that’s a beautiful idea because it reminds us that church is a community of believers, and like any community, we need to get along or at least figure out how to get along. It’s also a reminder that there is a structure in the church. Jesus said to Peter that he is the rock on whom he will build his church. He didn’t say to Paul he was going to rebuild the church on him. And he doesn’t say to us, “Rudy” or insert your name, “I’m rebuilding my church on you.” Our church has a structure and a leadership, and it’s our job as disciples to support our bishops and pastors as we work together to build up the Kingdom of God.

Ok, footnote over – moving on!

Look at what happened to Paul through his conversion experience. So much happened to the poor guy; you have to wonder why. Perhaps the Gospel gives us a clue. Maybe everything Paul went through throughout his conversion and the following three years was a sort of pruning. God pruned Paul so that he could bear more fruit!

Wouldn’t you agree that Paul’s life is an example of someone who kept the commandments and remained in God and God in him?

My brothers and sisters, by our baptism, we are part of the vine. So, we have the same opportunity to be pruned by God so that we too can bear much fruit for the Kingdom! That’s one way to think about discipleship. But not all discipleship is fruitful. So, we are warned that if we don’t bear fruit, bad things will happen!

So, how can we cooperate with God, or in what ways can we help God with our own pruning so that we bear fruit? I’m so glad you asked!

We’ve talked a lot about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, virtues, fruits of the Holy Spirit, and even sin. We’ve learned that we can evaluate where we stand concerning these through self-examination, speaking with someone close to us like our spouses or close friends, or meeting with a spiritual director. But, we can be much more deliberate about the process.

For example, let’s say we want to grow in prudence. Well, of course, we can look up what that means and search the internet for church teachings or writings from the saints or spiritual masters about prudence. We might learn that some virtues related to prudence include circumspection, docility, and foresight. But learning alone doesn’t guarantee that we will grow in prudence. So, we need to bring prudence to prayer.

One way to do that is through the daily examen. To do the daily examen doesn’t require much time at all – perhaps 5-7 minutes – indeed 10 minutes max. Why not bring prudence or one of its related virtues to the daily examen? You could prayerfully reflect on it over several days, a week, or longer. It’s up to you. You could do the same thing with a bad habit or with something that’s bothering you. It might be helpful to keep some notes as you try to grow in prudence or overcome a bad habit.

This is one example of what it means to remain in Christ. We don’t try to do it by ourselves. We can turn to God in prayer and invite pruning in concrete ways – like overcoming a specific bad habit or growing in a particular virtue. If we are mindful about growing in our spiritual life, then our lives will bear much fruit.

Homework! Nourished by the fruit of the vine through the Word and Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following questions.
First, what are one or two virtues I want to grow in or one or two bad habits I want to overcome?
Second, turn to God in prayer and ask for specific help to increase in that virtue or overcome that particular bad habit.

I think doing our homework can enrich our discipleship. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image Credit: Malbec Grapes. Ian L. 30 August 2004. JPG. Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic. Description: Malbec grapes. Taken at the Robert Mondavi Winery in Rutherford, California (in the Napa Valley), California.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2017. Kindle.
2. Kurz, William S. SJ. Acts of the Apostles. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.
3. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Believing in Jesus Christ: 151
2. God’s mercy greater than our hearts: 208, 1781, 2845
3. Call to love one another: 459, 1823-25
4. The gift of the Spirit: 733-36
5. Church as vine: 736, 755, 787, 1108, 1988, 2074
6. Persecution: 769, 1808, 1816
7. Charity: 953, 1822-29
8. Eternal separation from God: 1033
9. Being conformed to Christ: 1694
10. Keeping the commandments: 2052-55, 2072
11. “Apart from me you can do nothing”: 2074
12. Charitable works of mercy: 2447-48
13. Bearing witness to Christ: 2471-74
14. Praying in Jesus’ name: 2614
15. Praying with confidence for our needs: 2631
16. Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper: 2746-51

Fifth Sunday of Easter https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050221.cfm
Lectionary: 53

Reading 1
Acts 9:26-31
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,
and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,
and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.
He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,
but they tried to kill him.
And when the brothers learned of this,
they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

Responsorial
Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or: R. Alleluia.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
“May your hearts live forever!”
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or: R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or: R. Alleluia.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or: R. Alleluia.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
1 John 3:18-24
Children, let us love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth.

Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God
and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.

Alleluia
John 15:4a, 5b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
John 15:1-8
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

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Third Sunday of Easter

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Mass readings

Reading 1: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
Responsorial: Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-9
Reading 2: 1 John 2:1-5a
Gospel: Luke 24:35-48

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041821.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song! Blessings to you on this Third Sunday of Easter! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and I’m so glad you’re here! Together, let’s break open the Word!

You know, I heard this beautiful image on the “Pray As You Go” app as I prepared for this homily. For those of you who don’t know, “Pray As You Go” is a free app produced by the Jesuits in the UK, and it’s excellent! It’s a wonderful example of Jesuit meditation. So often, as part of the Jesuit contemplative experience, we’re asked some thought-provoking questions and invited to see ourselves in the Scripture passage. This rich technique tries to help us grasp God’s meaning from a variety of different perspectives. I love the app, and I use it regularly.

The image they introduce is the contrast between standing in the shadow of the cross or standing in the light of the Resurrection. It’s a powerfully helpful image! <1>

Why would someone prefer to stand in the shadow of the cross?

Maybe we feel trapped by the scandal of the cross – the horror of sin, like bearing false witness, that lead to the murder of Jesus. Maybe we’re trapped by our sin. Maybe we feel so ashamed by Jesus’ sacrifice for us because of our sin. Or maybe we’re more comfortable in the shadows. We happy with the status quo, and we’re not very interested in the risk of opening up old wounds.

My brothers and sisters, I have good news! We are an Easter people! We don’t hide in the shadow of the cross. No! We bask in the light of Resurrection – in the light of the risen Christ Jesus!

But faith in Jesus is more than just words or pious actions. Basking in the light of the Resurrection means that we live a life in Christ Jesus. That means we need to be transformed! If you believe – I mean if you really believe in all of it – the Incarnation, the life of Jesus, the brutal death and resurrection, the Ascension, and the descent of the Holy Spirit – I mean if you believe all of it – then it should change you! It should change me! That change should be visible in our lives!

What does that transformation look like?

Well, in our second reading, John tells us, “The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3).

Ok, before we go on, it’s important to understand the biblical meaning of the phrase “to know.” “To know” means more than just understanding information or some piece of factual data. In the Bible, “to know” “includes an experiential and relational dimension.” Let’s consider a few examples. “When Pharaoh says to Moses, ‘I do not know the Lord’ (Exodus 5:2), he is not saying that he has never heard about the God of Israel, but that he does not acknowledge him as God and will not yield to his demands. When we hear that Samuel ‘did not yet know the Lord’ (1 Samuel 3:7 NRSV),” this means that Samuel had “not yet heard the Lord speak to him personally.” “When Jesus says to those who refuse to obey his word, ‘I never knew you’ (Matthew 7:23)” this doesn’t mean that Jesus didn’t know who they were, but that “they are not in a good relationship with him.” And finally, “in 1 John, “to know God” is to be in a right relationship with him and to know him personally through the indwelling Spirit.” <2>

That’s why John goes on to say in our second reading, “Those who say, ‘I know him,’ but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them’” (1 John 2:4).

Ok, keeping the commandments is a good start. But what is the greatest commandment that Jesus gave us? “Jesus gave one commandment but said it in two ways. To love God completely and to love one’s neighbor as oneself are one and the same thing.” <3>

How do we do that? How do we love our neighbor as we love ourselves? Well, at minimum, that requires vigilance! The daily examen, for example, is an excellent exercise to help keep us on point. But we do not face the challenge alone or ill-equipped! No! Just as Jesus told us, we have the Holy Spirit to help us. God also blessed each of us with gifts and infused our very being with the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love or charity, giving life to the cardinal virtues of justice, prudence, fortitude, and temperance.

Is it easy? If it were easy, this world would be a much different place. That’s why John, in his letters, talks so much about sin. But wait! I have more good news! Jesus left us His church and invested the Church with the sacraments. One of the blessings of the Mass and the sacraments is to help us face an increasingly hostile world – at least toward Christians. We are nourished and strengthened by the Word of God and the Eucharist. And the stories about the lives of the saints and the sheer breadth of spiritual writing available to us can help us learn more about what it means to be a disciple.

Together with the help of our pastors and spiritual directors, we can keep tabs on our spiritual growth. You see, following Jesus’ commandment like John talks about in our second reading means living a life transformed by Jesus. In other words, it means living a life of love. How do we know this transformation is happening? People around us should see the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives and our actions: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.

And as disciples who are using the gifts God gave us, growing in virtue and bearing fruit, we are sent out into the world as our Gospel from Luke says, to share the Good News of Jesus! “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47).

Homework! Basking in the light of the risen Christ, I invite you to reflect on the following questions. To know Jesus is to be in relationship with Jesus. First, what steps am I taking to deepen my relationship with Jesus? Second, how can I help support my pastor to help the community grow in virtue?

I think doing our homework can help focus our growth as disciples. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image Credit: Third Sunday of Easter. Artist Unknown. JPG.

Notes:
<1> https://pray-as-you-go.org/player/prayer/2021-04-18
<2> Kelly Anderson and Daniel Keating, 156.
<3> Michael Himes, Chapter Three Incarnation. Kindle.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2017. Kindle.
2. Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018. Kindle.
3. Himes, Michael. The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism. Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2004. Kindle.
4. Kurz, William S. SJ. Acts of the Apostles. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Christ the key to interpreting all Scripture: 102, 426-29, 601, 2763
2. Jesus reveals and fulfills Scripture: 108, 112, 572, 60, 652, 702, 2625, 2763
3. The name of Jesus: 430-35, 266
4. Jesus as our advocate: 519, 662, 692, 1137
5. Culpability for Jesus’ death: 591, 597-98
6. Jesus’ death in God’s plan: 599-601
7. Jesus’ sacrifice for the sins of the world: 605-6
8. The third day: 627
9. Jesus appears to the disciples: 641
10. The apostles and disciples as witnesses of the Resurrection: 642-44, 857, 995-96
11. The disciples’ disbelief: 644
12. Forgiveness of sins: 981
13. Jesus’ risen body: 645, 999
14. Jesus’ second coming: 673-74
15. The Church’s mission: 730, 1120, 1122
16. The Church and Jews: 839-40
17. Witness in confirmation by the Spirit’s power: 1304
18. The Eucharist and the experience of the disciples at Emmaus: 1346-47
19. Love of God in us: 1424, 1822, 1974, 2067
20. Keeping the commandments: 2052-55
21. Living the way Jesus lived: 2470

Third Sunday of Easter https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041821.cfm
Lectionary: 47

Reading 1
Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
Peter said to the people:
“The God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,
the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus,
whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence
when he had decided to release him.
You denied the Holy and Righteous One
and asked that a murderer be released to you.
The author of life you put to death,
but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.
Now I know, brothers,
that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did;
but God has thus brought to fulfillment
what he had announced beforehand
through the mouth of all the prophets,
that his Christ would suffer.
Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”

Responsorial
Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9
R. (7a) Lord, let your face shine on us.
Or R. Alleluia.
When I call, answer me, O my just God,
you who relieve me when I am in distress;
have pity on me, and hear my prayer!
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
Or R. Alleluia.
Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one;
the LORD will hear me when I call upon him.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
Or R. Alleluia.
O LORD, let the light of your countenance shine upon us!
You put gladness into my heart.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
Or R. Alleluia.
As soon as I lie down, I fall peacefully asleep,
for you alone, O LORD,
bring security to my dwelling.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
Or R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
1 John 2:1-5a
My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep
his commandments.
Those who say, “I know him,” but do not keep his commandments
are liars, and the truth is not in them.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.

Alleluia
Cf. Luke 24:32
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us;
make our hearts burn while you speak to us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Luke 24:35-48
The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way,
and how Jesus was made known to them
in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have.”
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of baked fish;
he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them,
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.”

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Second Sunday of Lent

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
Responsorial: Psalm 116: 10, 15-19
Reading 2: Romans 8:31b-34
Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022821.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Today on deacon rudy’s notes, we’re going to talk about how much God loves us and how we can evaluate the effectiveness of our Lenten sacrifices. Hello! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and I’m so glad you’re here!

In Sunday’s first reading, we hear that God put Abraham to the test and asked him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. And Abraham set out to do it! Now I’m sure all parents probably have mixed feelings about Abraham’s willingness to kill his son and offer him as a sacrifice to God! But Abraham was living his purpose.

What was Abraham’s purpose?

To know God, to love God and to serve God in this world, and to be happy with God forever in heaven. You know what? That’s your purpose and my purpose too. In everything we do – whether we are bakers or janitors or lawyers or executives or day traders or homemakers – in everything we do, we are to give glory to God.

So, in seeking to give glory to God, Abraham agrees to carry out God’s request. But the Lord’s messenger stops Abraham. He passed the test. God will ask much of us, but God will not ask that sort of sacrifice from us.

But there was a gulf between God and humanity – a gulf we believe Adam and Eve created when they rejected the goodness of God’s creation and decided to become gods by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree.

Did God throw up His hands and say, “Oh well! Better luck with my next creation!” No! God loved us so much that he decided to come here and sacrifice Himself for you and me. That’s what St. Paul is saying in our second reading from Romans. “He who did not spare his own Son, but handed him over for us all” (Romans 8:32).

That’s huge! If you were at all put off by God’s request that Abraham sacrifice his son, then you understand how big a deal it is for God to sacrifice His Son so that you and I could be saved from the original “cancel culture” when our ancestors rejected the goodness of God’s gift.

But Jesus was no mere mortal. Yes, he was a human being just like and just like me in every way except sin. But he was more than that! The Gospel from Mark shows us that Jesus was both human and divine. He was God who experienced what it is to live out our human lives. Talk about walking a mile in our shoes! Now that’s awesome!

Now you might be wondering, “That’s nice, deacon, but what does that have to do with me?”

There are too many people around us who think they are not worthy or not special. Some people think they are all alone in this world. Maybe they think life is a joke and the social order is a joke. Or worse, maybe they start to believe that life is not worth living.

But none of that is not true!

My brothers and sisters, I have Good News! God loves you so much that he sacrificed his Son for you. You are loved. Everyone you know needs to hear that message: you are loved. And you are not alone! God walks with us each and every day! He sent the Spirit to guide us and direct us. He gave us the church to teach us and to nourish us with the Word of God and the Eucharist. He gave us the sacraments to teach us and to strengthen us on our pilgrim journey.

We have an abundance of gifts! But sometimes, we get so caught up in the mechanics of life that we lose sight of our gifts and blessings. Lent is an excellent time to slow down and reflect on our lives – to wake up from the lies that we are not good enough and to see this beautiful world that God gave us!

We can use the spiritual exercises of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to grow our relationship with God and shift our focus away from our first-world problems. How do we know we are growing? We can use the fruits of the Holy Spirit to chart our progress. As we engage in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, do we see ourselves, and do the people around us see us growing in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control?

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following two questions.
First, how are my Lenten sacrifices going? If I’ve stumbled, that’s ok! Just restart and keep going!
Second, remembering how much God loves us, measure the effectiveness of your Lenten sacrifice by the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.

Doing our homework reminds us how much we are loved, how much we are gifted, and how much God blesses us. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image Credit: Lent. Artist Unknown. JPG.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2017. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. The obedience of Abraham: 59, 145-46, 2570-2572
2. Characteristics of faith: 153-59
3. The Transfiguration: 554-56, 558
4. Christ is for us: 603, 1373, 2634, 2852
5. God manifests his glory to make know his will: 2059

Second Sunday of Lent https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022821.cfm
Lectionary: 26

Reading 1
Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
God put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am!” he replied.
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.”

When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven,
“Abraham, Abraham!”
“Here I am!” he answered.
“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.”
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.

Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
“I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
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,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth
shall find blessing—
all this because you obeyed my command.”

Responsorial
Psalm 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19
R. (116:9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

Reading 2
Romans 8:31b-34
Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
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?

Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us, who will condemn?
Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised—
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.

Verse Before the Gospel
Cf. Matthew 17:5
From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him.

Gospel
Mark 9:2-10
Jesus took Peter, James, and John
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
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.”
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
from the cloud came a voice,
“This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.

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.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.