March 1 - From the Mountain

The Second Sunday of Lent

Today's Readings

• Genesis 22.1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
• Psalm 116
• Romans 8.31b-34
• Mark 9.2-10

Today's Reflection

Our spiritual journeys can take us to mountain top experiences. Those moments where we experience God more closely, feel God’s presence more strongly, understand God’s role in our life a bit better. These moments are invigorating, exciting, and sometimes even a bit challenging. We often want to stay in on the mountain top. The mountain top is bathed in that light of God, the felt presence.

Our spiritual journeys often seem filled more with the trekking through the valley. We see the peaks where we have encountered God, but to continue the journey, we have to walk the paths in the valleys. Here we encounter the challenges of living the faith. Here we have the challenges we know well, the business of life distracting us from the life of faith. We can be so caught up in what the world says we must be doing, to forget God’s call to simply be His.

Even Christ and his Apostles had to leave the mountain, for that was not where the work of their lives was. The mountain top was a moment to offer strength, grace, and even wisdom (though they did not quite understand it at the time). This was a moment to prepare them for what is to come.

This Lent, we are offered many chances to encounter God more closely, to feel God’s presence more strongly. Just as Abraham was so eager in the first reading, responding to God’s call with, “Here I am!” so I encourage you to respond to God’s call to you. This Lent, climb the mountain, go out of your way spiritually to return to God. He is there. Seek Him at new prayer experiences, new formation opportunities, Adoration, in Scripture, in the Mass. Enter into the mountain top experience so you may carry that strength, grace, and love with you to other in your life.