March, 8 2009 - II Sunday in Lent
In the Creed at the end of the Liturgy of the Word we firmly profess:
“I believe in God the Father almighty ...
I believe in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord ...
I believe in the Holy Spirit ...
I believe in the Holy Catholic Church ...”
But the question is:
“Believing in God, do I believe God, do I trust Him?”
“Believing in Jesus Christ, do I believe and trust Jesus Christ?”
“Believing in the Holy Spirit, do I believe and trust Holy Spirit?”
“Believing in the Catholic Church, do I believe and trust this Holy Church?”
Do I really believe that God will never defile or disappoint me? Do I believe that Jesus Christ is always present in His Church and that this Church is guiding me to the eternal life?
All three readings today are just about these questions.
Abraham asked by God to sacrifice to God his only son says readily and unhesitatingly “YES”. And because of his trust he is reworded:
“since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing — all this because you obeyed my command.”
St Paul in his letter to the Romans reminds us strongly:
“If God is for us, who can be against us? Who will condemn us? Who will separate us from the love of God?” If only we believe Him and trust Him ....
I can be against myself, I can condemn myself, I can separate myself from the love of God if I don’t believe and if I don’t trust Him!
And finally in today’s Gospel the Father confirms and authorizes the messianic mission of Jesus Christ:
“This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Do I really listen to Jesus Christ? He is the One who founded and create the Church. If Jesus Christ is really the Son of God, why do I not believe Him, why do I not trust Him?
He is the One who said:
“On this rock of Peter I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Mt 16,18). Why do I not believe Church, why do I not trust Church?
God did all to authenticate and certify Himself. God did all by sending His only Son to save us and to show us His love. The only one thing I have to do is to believe Him, to trust Him like Abraham even against the common sense, against my human pride and very often against arrogance.
Fr. Kazimierz Kubat SDS
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