February 21 - Second Sunday of Lent: Transfiguration

First Reading  Genesis
15:5-12,17-18
God makes a covenant with Abraham, promising him many descendants.Responsorial Psalm  Psalm
27:1,7-8,8-9,13-14
A prayer to God who is our salvationSecond Reading  Philippians
3:17-4:1 (or shorter form, Philippians 3:20-4:1)
Paul encourages the Philippians to remain firm in their faith that Christ will
subject all things to himself.Gospel ReadingLuke 9:28b-36 For the apostles the
transfiguration was an awe-inspiring experience. They had never seen their
master like this before. Peter, filled with consolation says,“Lord, it is good
for us to be here. Let us erect three booths here, one for you, one for Moses, and
one for Elijah.” On Mount Tabor they didn't want to leave. In the Garden of
Gethsemane they didn't want to stay. When Jesus was arrested they all fled. But
it is not to be. The transfiguration is only a preparation for things to
come. With Jesus they must descend the mountain to the valley below
and on to the garden of Gethsemane and Calvary.

February 14 - First Sunday of Lent : Temptation

First
Reading  Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Moses describes the offering of praise for God's deliverance of Israel.
Responsorial
Psalm  Psalm 91:1-2,10-11,12-13,14-15
A prayer for God's protection
Second
Reading  Romans 10:8-13
Paul teaches that we are saved by faith.
Gospel
ReadingLuke 4:1-13
In today’s epic Gospel scene, Jesus relives in His
flesh the history of Israel. We’ve already seen that like Israel, Jesus has
passed through water, been called God’s beloved Son (see Luke 3:22; Exodus
4:22). Now, as Israel was tested for forty years in the wilderness, Jesus is
led into the desert to be tested for forty days and nights (see Exodus 15:25).
He faces the temptations put to Israel: Hungry, He’s tempted to grumble
against God for food (see Exodus 16:1-13), When the Devil asks His homage, He’s
tempted to do what Israel did in creating the golden calf (see Exodus
32) and as Israel quarrelled at Messiah, He’s tempted to doubt God’s care
(see Exodus 17:1-6). Jesus undergoes these same temptations. in the first He
was tempted with power over nature (“turn these stones into bread”), in the
second temptation Jesus was tempted with power over people (“worship me and I
will give you dominion over all nations”) and in the third he was tempted with
power over God (jump and God will send angels to protect you.”). Aren’t these
the same temptations that we face day in and day out?

February 10 - Lent 2016

Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means "spring." The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry. Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of themselves for others. Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter" and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.

February 7 – Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Disciple's Call

First Reading  Isaiah 6:1-2a,3-8
Isaiah describes his vision and call from the Lord. Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 138:1-5,7-8
A song of thanks to God who saves us  Second Reading  1 Corinthians
15:1-11 (shorter form, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8,11)
Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel that he announced to them. Gospel ReadingLuke 5:1-11   In today’s Gospel Peter
trusts and obeys God's word: "at Thy Word I will lay my nets". In
doing so he experiences God's power in the great catch of fish. Because Peter
accepts his own inadequacy and sinfulness God is able to change him. The
scratches in our lives could become beautiful opportunities for God to turn a
negative into a positive, a minus into a plus.