Homily 2nd Sunday Lent

Franklin Fong, OFM

March 5, 2023

Life can be viewed as a journey. We are always moving. We go from what was to what is and to what will be. Since God has placed our lives in the flow of time, our journeying must serve his purposes, It must be then for our true good. 

The fact that the future Is unknown and not clearly predictable means that God intends that we walk in faith, we cannot control the flow of time.

In the first reading from Genesis, God invites Abraham to “go forth” to a glorious future. But God doesn’t tell him when or how that future will be glorious. Abraham is to trust in God who will bless him in God’s own way, in God’s own time.

The second reading from St Paul’s letter to Timothy assures us that God takes responsibility for our future according to God’s own grace-filled design. It has nothing to do with any merit of ours. Even though we are limited and weak we need not fear the future. It is God who calls us into that future. 

There is no denying that our faith is tested on the journey of life. Remember from last Sunday’s gospel that even Jesus was tested by the devil ! In today’s reading, Jesus confirms that testing. He tells his followers that he and they too will suffer and die. The followers of Jesus must have to learn to deny themselves to save themselves.

In order that his followers might come to believe that not only can they expect newness of life in the future, but also there is even a touch of glory here on earth. Jesus reveals that there is more to him than his present lowliness. Through the experience of transfiguration, Jesus is introduced to his followers as the “Son of God” ! God’s glory is hidden within Jesus. The transfiguration gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ hidden glory to be revealed at the resurrection.

We also must remember that God is with us when we descend into the valleys of our life as well at the mountain tops of our life ! What God promises and fulfills in Jesus is the gift of his own divine glory to all persons. Are we lifted up by the anticipation of the complete fulfillment of God’s promises to us? Or, are we cast down by a delayed or limited fulfillment?  

So let’s review the readings for the UNIFYING THEMES

The first reading is about the obedient Abram and how through Abram, other peoples will be blessed or strengthened.

The psalm affirms God who saves and gives strength.

The second reading is about Timothy who needs encouragement and strengthening in order to carry out the work of evangelization.

The gospel reading is about the transfiguration that should strengthen the disciples, when they will be put into a crisis at the moment of Jesus’ crucifixion and death.

So, we are promised a glorious culmination to our earthly journey.  

Take some time in the coming week to reflect on your life of faith, on how did you handle the intervals of tension, possible doubts, and God’s unexpected ways in your life?  

At what times in your life did you trust or did you despair at what was happening in your life?  

Do these readings then help you connect the dots of your faith journey?  

So brothers an sisters of the Chinese Catholic Community 

that is the Good NEWs for this 2nd Sunday of Lent.

AMEN AMEN

(中文翻譯.原文以英文為準.)

四旬期甲年第二主日 (03/05/2023)
鄺神父主日講道中譯本

讀經一: 創世紀 12: 1-4
讀經二: 聖保祿宗徒致弟茂德後書 1: 8-10
瑪竇福音: 17: 1-9

人生可以看作是一段旅程。 因我們總是在走動着。 我們從過去走到現在，再走向將來。 既然天主將我們的生命置於時間之洪流中，我們的旅程就必須事奉於天主創造之原來目的，那必須是全為了我們真正的益處。

未來是充滿未知數的，誰也不能清楚地預測所有尚未發生的事，這意味著天主希望我們憑着信德在生活中前行，因我們無法控制時間的流逝。

在讀經一創世記中，天主邀請亞巴郎“往前走”，走向榮耀的未來。 但天主並沒有告訴他那個未來何時到來或如何將會是榮耀的。 亞巴郎要全心信靠天主，祂會在適合天主自己的時候以適合天主自己的方式來祝福他。

讀經二聖保祿寫給弟茂德的書信中向我們保證，天主根據自己充滿恩寵的計劃賞賜給我們每人的未來。 這與我們所作的任何功德無關。 即使我們是有限和軟弱的，我們也不必害怕恐懼未來。 因為是天主仁慈的呼召讓我們安全的進入那個未來。

你不可否認，我們的信仰在人生的旅途中常常受到考驗。 記得上週日的福音中，連耶穌基督都被魔鬼試探過！ 在今天的經文中，耶穌證實了這個測試。 祂告訴祂的追隨者，祂和他們也會受苦及死亡。 跟隨耶穌的人必須學會拒絕魔鬼的誘惑以救自己靈魂。

那時候為了讓祂的追隨者相信，他們不僅可以期待未來嶄新的生命，而且在世上甚至還能有一絲榮耀。 耶穌表明，除了祂當時人眼中看來的卑微。 通過顯聖容的經歷，天主宣告耶穌給祂的追隨者為 “天主子”！ 天主極大的榮耀隱藏在耶穌裡。 顯聖容讓我們瞥見耶穌隱藏的榮耀將在復活時顯露出來。

我們還必須記住，無論我們跌入人生的低谷還是登上人生的高峰，天主都天天與我們在一起！ 天主通過耶穌救贖工程中所應許和實現的，就是將祂自己神聖的榮耀賜給所有的人。 我們會否因期待天主對我們的應許完全實現而感到振奮？ 或者，我們是否因延遲或有限的實現而沮喪呢？

那麼讓我們回顧一下今天三篇讀經的主旨及其閱讀焦點:

讀經一是關於順從,有信德的亞巴郎，以及如何通過亞巴郎，其他民族將得到天主的祝福。

聖詠是關於天主，祂是肯定了拯救和賜予力量的天主。

讀經二是關於弟茂德，鼓勵和加強幫助了他開展福傳工作。

福音是關於耶穌顯聖容的神蹟，當他們在耶穌被釘十字架和死亡的那一刻陷入危機時，大大加強了門徒的力量。

因此，我們被許諾了塵世之旅最終的光榮高潮。

在接下來的一週裡，花一些時間來反思你的信仰生活，你是如何處理你間歇性的緊張、可能受到的疑惑或疑慮，以及天主在你生命中有否用着你意想不到的方式來施恩於你？

在你生命中的什麼時候，你會對生活中發生的事情感到信任或者感到絕望？

這些讀經是否能幫助您將信仰歷程的各點點滴滴聯繫連接起來？

所以，華人天主教會的兄弟姐妹們, 這是四旬期第二個星期日的好消息。

亞孟, 亞孟!