Dear Friends,
On this Second Sunday of Lent, the Lectionary draws us to reflect upon the fact that Abram, the ‘Man of God’, was recognised for his faithfulness to God, by having his name changed to Abraham. This often happened in religious history to people whose lives were irrevocably changed. For instance, after his conversion to Christ, Saul became Paul. When taking up the religious life, a novice is encouraged to change his or her name, to indicate the life of faith that has become theirs. The indicator for the name-change was, and still is today, the dramatic lifestyle change involved—from a possible non-belief to the dynamics of a lively faith in God.
In his letter to the Romans, S. Paul wants to emphasise the obedience of Abraham, and how it was a foretaste of the obedience of Jesus—and, therefore, a model of what is expected of the followers of Jesus. In a way, by his life and death Jesus was putting an end to the old regime of salvation through blind obedience to the Law. By his death Jesus broke that bond, giving us freedom from the law of sin and death—‘opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers’. This gave the exercise of faith priority over obedience to the law.
We all know by now that faith is a gift from God—to all who seek it. We cannot earn the gift of faith, but we can ask God for it. From my own limited experience I know that it does not come all at once, but, by constant prayer, and certainly with the help of the life of Christ in the Eucharist, it gradually steals over us, and we are able to look fear in the eye and, by God’s grace, conquer its worst effects.
In his own lifetime, Jesus knew that it would be important for at least some of the Twelve to be able to bear witness to his continuity with the faith of Abraham and the Prophets. This is why he took Peter, James and John up to the Mount of his Transfiguration, where they witnessed his conversation with Moses and Elijah. This experience of the glorified Christ (which we have, potentially, in the Mass) was sufficient for each of them to testify to Jesus as both Messiah of the Old Testament and Redeemer of the New.
What is our expectation, this Lent and Eastertide, of actually experiencing the love of God in the suffering and death, the rising and the glorification of Jesus? We only have to journey faithfully with him on the Royal Road of this season, to know him more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly, day by day.
Prayers and blessings,
Ron Smith
Lent Readings: Week Two
Monday Daniel 9: 4–10 Luke 6: 36–38
Tuesday Isaiah 1: 10, 16–20 Matthew 23: 1–12
Wednesday Jeremiah 18: 18–20 Matthew 20: 17–28
Thursday Jeremiah 17: 5–10 Luke 16: 19–31
Friday Genesis 37: 3–4, 12–28 Matthew 21: 33–46
Saturday Micah 7: 14–20 Luke 15: 11–32
