The price of obedience

2nd Sunday of Lent

Mark 9:2-10

It's hard for us to obey man; much more, God. When we were children, the first word we learned was, "No!"  Brush your teeth, "No!"  Eat your vegetables, "No!"  Study your lessons, "No!"

Did saying "No" get us anywhere? Aside from rejecting all possibilities for life, our hearts have become hardened to follow God by saying "no" him.  We fear following his will.  But however threatening it may seem, what God wants us to do would always be a lot wiser than our own.  Try asking for the grace to obey God.

Secondly, he might have spared Abraham's son, but he himself fulfilled his own command, by offering his own son Jesus.  Totally pleased with his Son, God commands us to "listen to him." Listen to Jesus! Learn from Jesus!  Discover where our lives would lead to if we follow Jesus and offer our lives to Him.

The result of obedience and offering would always be "transfiguration".  Like the transfiguration of Jesus to manifest his divine self, we would enjoy our transformed selves in God.  This is the main objective of Lent, to be transformed, mind and heart, according to the image and likeness of Christ.  Let's pray for a transfigured Church as well.  It is the Body of Christ.