Lent – time to pause, reflect on our role as ambassadors for Christ
February 24, 2021
Welcoming migrant children into RC schools
February 24, 2021
Msgr Michael de Verteuil, Chair of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission continues a series of articles for the Lenten season.
The liturgy, as I mentioned in last Sunday’s article, is one of the major ways we are formed on the Christian journey. So, what does the liturgy of the Second Sunday of Lent contribute to our journey to Easter? For this, we look at the prayers and readings of the Mass.
The Collect. In this prayer, we ask that we may be nourished by the Word and that we may see truth clearly so that we can see God’s glory. This Sunday’s Gospel on page 9 is the Transfiguration in which Christ’s glory is seen.
The prayer reminds us of the journey of conversion we are on to the glory of Easter. God’s Word is truth, and to be nourished by it we need to pay attention to it. It might be a good Lenten practice to spend some time on the Saturday reading and reflecting on the Sunday readings.
The Preface. This is based on the Gospel of the Transfiguration and tells us that Jesus revealed His glory to show that the Passion leads to the Resurrection which we will celebrate with great joy at Easter.
The First Reading. God’s promises to Abraham after Abraham had been prepared to offer his son. Last week we saw God’s covenant with Noah. These are reminders to us of the covenant we have entered into through our Baptism, which we are preparing in Lent to renew at Easter.
The Second Reading. This expresses confident faith in God who has given us everything in Jesus Christ.
The Gospel. Jesus is transfigured in glory, the glory the Collect prayed that we would rejoice to behold. The Gospel reminds us of our journey of faith through suffering to joy, from sinfulness to glory – the journey of our lives which we undergo in a small way in Lent as we journey to Easter.
May the Lord continue to show us areas in which we need conversion on the journey.
