Gospel for the day - 2nd Sunday of Lent - Year A

Matthew 17:1-9
‘His face shone like the sun.’


At that time: Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’ When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and have no fear.’ And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one, but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, ‘Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.’

This is the gospel of the Lord. Commentary

Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week.

Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts. If you are interested in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word please email us: cluster.alpha@outlook.com




Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)


Today's gospel feels very different. Jesus takes three of his apostles to the top of a mountain where they are joined by Moses and Elijah. It is a surreal event. The Transfiguration appears to be a further stage in the process that the apostles are undertaking and which we also need to undertake. We have heard of the Ten Commandments where humanity was given a set of simple external rules, then Jesus in his ministry updated such rules with examples taught in parables and sermons. Now the apostles witness Jesus in all his glory, he is transfigured, and the apostles see his purity and goodness made plain. Transfiguration means to change and to fulfill the goodness that Jesus knows we are all capable of. To do this the apostles are told by God to (just) listen. Many of us find it very difficult to sit silently and listen, our heads are full of distraction. Our daily lives are full of distraction as well, and we are often on automatic pilot as we work our way through a timetable of tasks. Here Jesus takes the apostles away from the trouble and strife of this world to enable God to influence their thoughts. Perhaps the lesson of the Transfiguration is that we, like the apostles, need to withdraw and take time to really listen through silence, prayer, meditation. To really listen is hard, it is perhaps the difference between hearing the presenting problem only and how to deal with it rather than relieving the problem and ensuring it doesn't persist. The first action is good and necessary. The secondary reflection goes deeper. To be transfigured we need to go deeper. 



Q1. How might you live to fulfill the goodness that Jesus knows you are capable of, to let your goodness shine?

Q2. How do you allow yourself to be transfigured?

Q3. What difference does your faith in Jesus Christ make in your life?*




 * All second questions © The Pastoral Center


Prayers of Intercession


In today’s gospel, during Jesus‘s prayer experience on the mountain top, he is visibly changed and identified as the son of God. He continued to transform many lives during his ministry on his road to the cross.

Like the first disciples may  we remain open and prayerful to the power of God‘s love to transform our lives and the lives of those we encounter, to enable us to travel with hope on our journey through lent and beyond.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer


For the Church  that she may reflect the transfigured light of Christ to the world and follow Jesus from the mountain top into the valley of service.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer


For world leaders that they may be guided by justice and integrity, working to bring light to areas of conflict, hatred, and darkness, and bring dignity to all people.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer


For all areas across the world that are affected by natural disasters, war or violence, that they may receive protection and aid. May God raise peacemakers to carry hope  into places which seem hopeless. As the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine has entered its fifth year, may there be sustained international solidarity and support for a just  and lasting peace between those nations.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer


For our local community, that we may see Christ in one another and be united in love and service during this holy season. May we  be given the grace to listen for God’s voice in prayer, events and relationships, to discern our way forward.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer


For a deeper appreciation of God‘s gift of creation, that we will be drawn into a greater stewardship of the Earth, and recognise that we are profoundly united with the natural world and every creature, as we journey together in sustaining all life for future generations.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer


For all who suffer in any way. May they be comforted and strengthened by experiencing God‘s healing presence in those who care for them. We remember all on the prayer foundation list.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer


For those who have recently died and those whose anniversary falls at this time. May they rest in the light of Christ and may those who mourn find comfort in God‘s promise of eternal life.In particular, we pray for Patrick Breen and Carmelina McGregor.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer


We will now say together the prayer to be missionary disciples.

Cluster prayer

Lord continue to bless our community in this time of transition.

Help us on our journey to grow from a maintenance church to a missionary church.
Give us the courage to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough to receive all who need human love and fellowship; narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and prejudice.

Kindle in us the fire of your love that all who come here will find joy, peace and love.

Make this a house of prayer and a gateway to your kingdom.

AMEN

Preparing for next week - 3rd Sunday of Lent

John 4:5-42

‘A spring of water welling up to eternal life.’

At that time: Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.


A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?’ (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.’


Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming — he who is called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am he.’


Just then his disciples came back. They marvelled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you seek?’ or, ‘Why are you talking with her?’ So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’ They went out of the town and were coming to him.


Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, ‘Rabbi, eat.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Has anyone brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, “There are yet four months, then comes the harvest”? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.’


Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.’



This is the gospel of the Lord. Commentary



Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

“Water is life. Yet, for many, it is dangerously scarce… Often the only water they [in Ethiopia] can find is dirty – but they must drink it to survive.” (SCIAF Lenten letter)


“Water is life.” This is the theme of today’s gospel, recounting an extraordinary conversation between Jesus and a woman drawing water from a well. When he asks her for water, she wants to know why he is even speaking to her - a woman on her own and a Samaritan at that; and when he talks of giving her water, she wants to know how he is going to draw it from the well…


During the conversation, the woman tells him, “I have no husband” and Jesus uses that remark to show her that he knows the very secrets of her soul. Her reaction is not an embarrassed denial, but a recognition that here is someone very special – a prophet. This encourages Jesus to say openly that he is the Messiah, and she believes him. She understands it so completely that she leaves immediately to go back to her village to tell the others – from a multiple divorcee, a Samaritan, a woman – a missionary disciple is born.


For us, water is plentiful and shortages a mere inconvenience; but for too many in our world, it means a daily slog to a well for water that might be far from healthy. The saints always seem to be so perfectly hydrated through prayer that it flows from them in a stream of compassionate caring. Perhaps we should reflect on Jesus as the Water of Life; how accessible he is and how important he is in sustaining our life. At the same time, we need to remember our brothers and sisters who lack the basics and respond generously to SCIAF’s “wee box” appeal. Perhaps we can use Lent as a time for “change” – through personal transformation and by placing the “wee box” next to the kettle.

 

Q 1. Compose a short phrase/prayer using the idea of “water is life”. (Share with your group if you are in one and/or say it when you use the kettle).
Q2. Where have you found a source of “living water” for your own journey of faith?*



 * All second questions © The Pastoral Center