Second Sunday Of Lent, Year B- The Three Mountains: Transfiguration

Because of our three readings, today could be called the Sunday of the Three Mountains.

"Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah.”

Moriah, as a girl's name, is of Hebrew origin, meaning "the hill country." The land of Moriah was a mountainous region.

Our First Reading says that there, “God put Abraham to the test.”

The difference between school and life? In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.”1

In Verse 12, God says to Abraham: “I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son." (Genesis 22:12)

Rather than losing his only son, Abraham receives him back and, in the process, the divine promise is once again given. The message is that it is our ungrudging willingness to give that leads to gaining and retaining that which is most precious.

E.g., I met a Catholic man named Lee when we were part of a Kairos Prison Ministry weekend, on the Catholic team. Lee told me that he and his son were on a father-son bonding fishing trip for a week and on Sunday, Lee left camp to drive to the nearest town to attend Sunday Mass. Lee’s grown son did not attend Mass anymore and so he stayed behind. When Lee returned to the camp after Mass, his son asked, “How was Mass?” Lee responded, “Well, son, it’s interesting that the homily and the First Reading reminded me of you—it was about Abraham and Isaac.”

“You aren’t going to sacrifice me, are you, Dad?” his son jokingly replied.

Lee said, “I already have, son, I love you and raised you, sent you to college, and have given you to the Lord.”

In other true story, Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen was a highly motivated college student searching for a way to pay for his education. It was during those collegiate years at Saint Viator College in Illinois that he made his decision to become a priest. In his autobiography, “Treasure in Clay,” he describes this critical moment of acceptance: A national examination was given to college students. The prize was a three-year university scholarship. I took the examination and won one of the scholarships. I was informed sometime during the summer and immediately went up to St. Viator’s College to see Father William J. Bergan, by now my dear friend. He was on the tennis court when I arrived. With great glee and delight I announced: “Father Bergan, I won the scholarship!” He put his hands on my shoulders, looked me straight in the eyes and said: “Fulton, do you believe in God?” I replied: “You know that I do.” He said: “I mean practically, not from a theoretical point of view.” This time I was not so sure, and I said: “Well, I hope I do.” “Then tear up the scholarship.” “Father Bergan, this scholarship entitles me to three years of university training with all expenses paid. It is worth about nine or ten thousand dollars.” He retorted: “You know you have a vocation; you should be going to the seminary.” I countered with this proposal: “I can go to the seminary after I get my Ph.D., because there will be little chance of getting a Ph.D. after I am ordained, and I would like very much to have a good education.” He repeated: “Tear up the scholarship; go to seminary. That is what the Lord wants you to do. And if you do it, trusting in Him, you will receive a far better university education after you are ordained than before.” I tore up the scholarship and went to the seminary. I have never regretted that visit and that decision.

Mount Moriah is the mountain of testing when God asks us for the most precious.2

2. The second mountain in our Readings is Mount Calvary-

“Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones?” St. Paul asks, adding, “It is God who acquits us, who will condemn?” Paul is saying that God gave us the best he could, his own Son. So, Paul asks, rhetorically, who can condemn you then if God acquitted you with his very best? Again, the answer is “no one.”

Mount Calvary is the mountain our acquittal.

3. The Third Mountain is Mount Tabor or Transfiguration Mountain--

Right after you receive Holy Communion, assuming that you are going to confession when you need to, you are on top of the mountain, we can best listen there! The Catechism says that the Eucharist is "the source and summit" of the Christian life (1324). The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it.