In today’s Gospel (Mark 9:2-10), Jesus wants to bring some focus to Peter, James, and John by having them witness the Transfiguration. The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent always includes the Transfiguration. Jesus begins by leading the three Apostles up a mountain the traditional place to which one went to encounter God. Once there, Jesus is transfigured before their eyes. “His clothes became dazzling white…”. And, as a sign that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, he is joined by Moses and Elijah. Suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from Heaven declares: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” The Apostles fall down to the ground in fear. Were they afraid of the cloud, the voice, or the message? It was a simple command, but a very tall order: “Listen to him.”
In our First Reading today (Genesis 9:8-15), God speaks to Noah and his children. It is God who takes the initiative, who acts first. By speaking to Noah, God intervenes in human history in order to establish a special relationship a covenant with Noah and his descendants. Today’s Reading describes the essence of God’s promise. Never again would God destroy his creation as he had with the great flood. Instead, God will honor his creation even when his people fail to live up to their part of the covenant. God set a rainbow in the sky as a sign of the covenant that existed between God and man.
Wednesday of this week is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. There are some people who seem to have a mistaken understanding of the reception of ashes and assign more importance to receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday than they do to attending Sunday Mass. Do not be misled. The ashes are NOT a Sacrament. They are what is called a “sacramental” and are no different than blessing yourself with Holy Water when you enter or leave the church. What is exceptional about the reception of ashes is that it normally occurs only one day a year (on Ash Wednesday), and that it is an outward sign – a public declaration, if you will – that one is a sinner and is in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. If we receive the ashes and then do not follow it up with a Sacramental Confession at some point during Lent, we have done nothing but condemn ourselves as hypocrites.
Students at Our Lady of Fatima School and public school students in the Catechism program will be receiving cardboard “Rice Bowls” to use during Lent as we participate in Operation Rice Bowl. Rice bowls will also be available in the church and parish office for other parishioners who would like to participate. The Rice Bowls will be collected during Holy Week. 75% of our Rice Bowl donations go to support the programs of Catholic Relief Services throughout the world, and 25% of our Rice Bowl donations support local projects to alleviate hunger and poverty here in our own Archdiocese.
Next weekend is the beginning of our Annual Catholic Appeal campaign for 2021 and we will have the opportunity to complete pledge cards. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Love Your Neighbor.” Parishioners who have made a pledge to the ACA in the past three years recently received a letter, pamphlet, and pledge card from Archbishop John Wester regarding the importance of the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA). Unlike the tithing renewal that we normally do in November in which we commit ourselves to a weekly tithe to the support of our local parish, the Annual Catholic Appeal is our opportunity to consider the needs not just of our own parish, but of Catholics across the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
Join us for a seven-week Adult Faith Formation Lenten journey beginning February 16, 2021. A study guide will be provided. In-person and Zoom meetings are available. Please call the parish office to register (505-265-5868).