Lord, let your mercy be on us

WORD OF FAITH: A breakdown of each week's upcoming Sunday readings to better understand the Word of God at Mass.

When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” — Matthew 17:6-7

The high places in the Scriptures are where humanity encounters God’s transcendent presence. God provides us in these high places a clear view of God’s unfolding transcendent glory. These high places are where God brings those who are called to rest, pray, retreat and even to be tested. These high places provide the opportunity to be free of the restrictiveness of our local surroundings and to encounter God without any encumbrances. Once brought up to the mountain top, those who are called often fast and pray for forty days and forty nights. During their forty days of fasting and prayer, those who are called for a special mission are tested by fire and from this testing, they are refined and strengthened. The Scriptures name these prominent high places, such as Mount Moriah, Mount Sinai (Mount Horeb), Mount Carmel, Mount Zion, Mount Tabor, the Mount of Olives and Calvary. These high places are where God’s glory has shown through as His plan of salvation unfolded.

Abram (Abraham) was called by God and entrusted with one of those special missions. “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you” (Gen. 12:1). God trusted in Abram (Abraham), but in later years, it was Abraham who had to trust in God. In that moment when God brought Abraham to Mount Moriah, he was asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac. “It happened that sometime later that God put Abraham to the test” (Gen. 22:1). This moment of great trust on the part of Abraham becomes a prefiguring of the Passion of Jesus, the only begotten Son of the Father.

Moses had to trust as well in God’s word. As Moses tended the sheep on Mount Sinai (Horeb), he was called by God as he stood before the burning bush. Moses had to trust in God’s call. “God then said, ‘I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. So now I am sending you to Pharaoh, for you to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt’ ” (Ex. 3:7, 9-10). Mount Sinai (Horeb) would later be the high place where Moses would receive the Ten Commandments, the covenant God made with the Israelites. 

On Mount Carmel, Elijah trusted in the transcendence of God that God would deliver him from the persecution of an unfaithful king and his wife, and the false prophets of the false God, Baal. It would be on Mount Carmel that God defeats the false prophets of the false God, Baal, and ultimately the defeat of Ahab and Jezebel as well (I Kings 18:20-40). Elijah then goes to Mount Sinai (Horeb), a high place of safety and security from the persecution of the unfaithful King Ahab and his wife Jezebel. “Strengthened by that food he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, God’s mountain” (I Kings19:8). 

Jesus brings Peter, James and John to a high place where they will witness his transfiguration on the mountain (Tabor) and see the transcendent glory of God in the transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus is transfigured with Moses and Elijah, and the voice of God is heard speaking, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matt. 17: 1-9). God is calling on Peter, James and John to trust in Jesus; the transfiguration reveals Jesus as the beloved Son of the Father. He is transfigured with Moses, the lawgiver, and Elijah the prophet. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. The transfiguration provides Peter, James and John a glimpse of the future glory of the resurrection beyond the crucifixion. They are brought to that high place in order for them to have faith and strength as they witness the scandal of the cross.

Paul too wants to bolster the faith and the strength of the Church as it experiences persecution. “Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with strength that comes from God” (2 Tm. 1:8). The Scriptures for the Second Sunday of Lent call us to trust in God’s providence. Our prayer for trust in God is given to us in the psalm for the Second Sunday of Lent, “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you” (Ps. 33).