Sunday, March 5th, 2023 – Second Sunday of Lent - Cycle A Readings: Genesis 12:1-4a, Psalm 33 “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you”, 2 Timothy 1:8b-10, Matthew 17:1-9

     My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, retreat is very important in our Christian life. It can be defined as a definite time spent away from one’s normal life for the purpose of reconnecting, usually in prayer, with God. The gospel starts by recounting the transfiguration. In which Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. It shows us one of the important moments in the life of Jesus, when he came to understand his mission, and he realizes he will carry it out through humiliation and defeat. Jesus wants his disciples to accept the plan of the Father for him but they do not do so. Only after his death will they understand how the way of the cross was the way to life.
     The second reading continues with this gospel idea and invites all of us to die with Christ. The death we speak of here is the destruction of our selfishness. The first reading completes the message of the liturgy of today by presenting Abraham to us, the man who placed his trust in God and, because of this, was promised a country and numerous descendants. During this liturgical season, the Lord takes us with him to a place apart. While our ordinary commitments compel us to remain in our usual places and our often repetitive and sometimes boring routines, during Lent we are invited to ascend “a high mountain” in the company of Jesus and to live a particular experience of spiritual discipline.
     A retreat refreshes and revitalizes, gives the opportunity for more time spent in prayer and contemplation, and rekindles and deepens one’s relationship with God. It creates the opportunity for a person to more clearly hear God’s call and to seek God’s healing grace and thereby attain a degree of spiritual renewal. It is an invitation to temporarily leave behind the usual distractions we all face to allow an inner change to occur: the ongoing conversion of heart that is critical to deepen faith.
     Lent is a time that the Lord invites us “come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while with me”. As a parish we are invited to the English Lenten revival Monday March 6 and Tuesday March 7th 7pm each night. Food will be served from 6pm so that we can come from work. The Spanish Lenten retreat is on Saturday March 11th from 8:30am to 1pm. I wish to encourage all parishioners to make a conscious effort to participate actively in this spiritual exercise. May the Lord bless us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD