6th Week in Ordinary Time
18th February 2023 (Saturday) Readings and Reflection
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Reading of the Day
First Reading: Hebrews 11:1-7
Brethren: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11 (R. see 1b)
R/. I will bless your name, O Lord, forever.
Gospel : Mark 9:2-13
At that time: Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. And they asked him, "Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" And he said to them, "Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him."
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Be transfigured!
Indicative: God created us in His own image and likeness. He wants us to be like Him. Sin reduces this likeness and makes us unlike Him. We need then to recuperate what we have lost{alertSuccess}
2. Therefore, we need transfiguration so that the beauty and joy of life can be resurged. This transfiguration will be possible only with the help of the Lord because he himself is the Lord of transfiguration. Today’s gospel narrates the scene of the transfiguration of the Lord.
3. This episode occurred not so much to display his greatness or parade his glory before the poor disciples. It is not to prove himself or impress them. The main purpose is to make them aware of his original identity so that their faith will not be shaken in testing times. Rather they will remain firm looking back and drawing their courage and strength from this transfiguration of the Lord.
4. Thus the Lord transfigures himself with his heavenly glory before them so as to confirm them in their faith and re-commit them to him. His transfiguration is a prefiguration of our own transfiguration one day when we finish our earthly pilgrimage.
5. Now how will we be transfigured on the last day? We will be transfigured on the last day when we strive to be transfigured every day. What does this imply? The gospel gives us some pointers. We need to be led up a high mountain apart by ourselves.
6. That is we need to withdraw and raise ourselves from the earth, from the low and below interests. From time to time, we need to climb up from our ordinary preoccupations to be alone with God in silence and serenity.
7. We need to stay in intimacy with him and relish his presence. It is this ecstatic joy that made Peter acclaim, “Lord, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents”. It was so cherishable that Peter did not want to miss it.
8. We need to listen to Jesus because he is the beloved Son of the Father. We too will become the beloved sons and daughters of the Father if we listen to His Son. Listening to him implies that we accompany him always, encounter him and be in dialogue with him like Moses and Elijah. It also implies that we transfigure ourselves both interiorly and exteriorly.
Imperative: There is an excessive concern about the external figure and its transfiguration. So much money and time are spent on beautifying the external body and material features. But what about the interior transfiguration, which is the beauty of the heart, and the worth of living?{alertSuccess}