“Rise, and do not be afraid.”

In the Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent we hear Mark's version of the story of the Transfiguration of the Lord. It is a story of intimate friendship of Jesus with Peter, James, and John, showing them the reality of his divinity and allowing them to see Moses and Elijah. The three men are, of course, excited to be present for such an event, with Peter saying, "Lord, it is good that we are here." 

​But within minutes, when the Father's voice speaks, they cower in fear. Jesus must then try to calm them, saying "Rise, and do not be afraid” before they are able to recover from this moment of fear, seeing only the man that they knew and loved standing before them. He got them through it. And they went forth from this moment changed, eventually giving all that they had to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus.

Similarly, in the first reading we hear the first calling of Abram, later called Abraham, whom we call "our father in faith." He, too, heard the voice of God, calling him to leave his homeland and travel to a new land. Certainly Abram also was filled with fear in this moment; he was human after all. And yet, he rose and faced his fears, followed the instruction of God, and became the father of the Jewish people, from whom God revealed his love and brought forth the savior of the world!

We often are faced with scary moments in our lives, too. Sometimes they are very good things, and the fear we have is of messing them up. Other times, they are moments of important decisions, and we are filled with fear that we will make the wrong one. And sometimes they are even moments of great difficulty and suffering. But in the midst of all of these, God is there, offering us opportunities to grow closer to him, to dispel fear, and to trust that he will give us strength to face whatever lies before us.

So, let us pray this week, as we continue our Lenten journeys of repentance and renewal, that we will "Rise and not be afraid." In the midst of our scary moments, whether good or bad, let us pray that, like Abram, Peter, James, and John, we will have the faith to face them with courage! And may these moments, and the opportunities for grace that they contain, work to transform us into the men and women God made us to be.

Want to prepare your heart and mind for Mass this weekend? Click here to find the readings this Sunday's Mass.