The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith.

God put Abraham to the test. 'Abraham, Abraham' he called. 'Here I am' he replied. "Take your son', God said 'your only child Issac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him as a burn offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.'
When they arrive at the place God had pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there and arragned the wood. Then he stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill his son.
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven. 'Abraham, Abraham' he said. 'I am here' he replied. 'Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God. You have not refused me your son, your only son'. Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt-offering in place of his son.
The angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven. 'I swear by my own self - it is the Lord who speaks - because you have done this, because you have refused me your son, your only son, I will shower blessings on you, I will make your descendants as many as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall gain possession of the gates of their enemies. All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, as a reward for your obdeience'.

This is the word of the Lord

Second Reading, A Reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans Rom8:31-34

God did not spare his own Son.

With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us - he rose from the dead, and there at God's right hand he stands and pleads for us.

This is the word of the Lord

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark Mk 9:2-10
This is my Son, the beloved; listen to him.

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. 'Rabbi', he said 'it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one fore Moses and one for Elijah'. He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, 'This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him'. Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.
As they came down the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what 'rising from the dead' could mean..'

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

HOMILY

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Bonds Loosed

The Lenten season continues with another story of testing. Last Sunday, we heard the trial of Jesus in the desert. In this week's First Reading, we hear of how Abraham was put to the test.

The Church has always read this story as a sign of God's love for the world in giving His only begotten son.

In today's Epistle, Paul uses exact words drawn from this story to describe how God, like Abraham, did not withhold His only Son, but handed Him over for us on the cross (see Romans 8:32; Genesis 22:12, 16).

In the Gospel today, too, we hear another echo. Jesus is called God's "beloved Son" - as Issac is described as Abraham's beloved firstborn son.

These readings are given to us in Lent to reveal Christ's identity and to strenghthen us in the face of our afflictions.

Jesus is shown to be the true son that Abraham rejoiced to see (see Matthew 1:1; John 8:56). In His transfiguration, He is revealed to be the 'prophet like Moses" foretold by God - raised from among their own kinsmen, speaking with God's own authority (see Deuteronomy 18:15,19).

Like Moses, He climbs the mountain with three named friends and beholds God's glory in a cloud (see Exodus 24:1,9,15). He is the one prophesied to come after Elijah's return (see Sirach 48:9-10; Malachi 3:1,23-24).

And, as He discloses to the apostles, He is the Son of Man sent to suffer and die for our sins (see Isaiah 53:3).

As we sing in today's Psalm, Jesus believed in the face of His afflictions, and God loosed Him from the bonds of death (see Psalm 116:3).

His rising should give us the courage to face our trials, to offer ourselves totally to the Father - as He did, as Abraham and Isaac did.

Freed from death by His death, we come to this Mass to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and to renew our vows - as His servants and faithful ones