Second Sunday of Lent Reflection 2019
Author: Al McMenamy, SM
March 17, 2019
“This is my beloved Son; LISTEN to him.” Did Peter, James and John do that? Do we listen to the Father?
“Listening” is truly a gift of the Holy Spirit. We have many people who want to talk, share their story, unburden themselves of countless things, but who is there to listen? If we had been on Mt. Tabor, would we have listened carefully to what God had to say? Jesus just told the disciples about his coming suffering, death, and Resurrection, the Paschal Mystery. I believe Jesus knew the Apostles did not get his “message” about suffering and death, that they would be downcast at what would happen, so he let them have a vision of his coming glory to support their faith.
In our first Reading we catch a glimpse of Abraham who has to learn to listen carefully to God. He finally accepts God’s Covenant with him and his people. He believed!
St. Paul tells us that our goal is always heaven, our true home. Do we hear that?
Most of us realize there are many people who need to talk to someone to clear their minds, to unload heavy burdens they carry, to appreciate how to be a daughter or son of Mary, learn how to grow closer to Jesus, become more like him, have greater peace of mind and heart.
I believe we Marianists, lay and professed religious, are challenged to use our gift of “listening” to help so many people. Our Mother Mary surely had that gift – how many times did she listen carefully and lovingly to folks on the dusty roads of Nazareth? at the well? Wasn’t Jesus the exquisite listener to one and all, about their ups and downs of life, most especially “hearing” their hearts?
Our Marianist Founders were good at listening -- among themselves, with their disciples, even with those opposed to them. They learned to “read (listen to?) the signs of the time” with God’s grace and then proceed. Father Chaminade once told the Brothers that the more attentive they would be to their daily activities, the greater would be their apostolic boldness. That takes “listening”. How we need that today!
In Spiritual Direction, the Confessional, daily conversations, I hear so many people longing to tell their faith journey. Isn’t that what Abraham wanted? Didn’t Paul say our home is heaven? Didn’t Jesus give the Apostles, and us, a spectacular moment to see him in his glory?
How can we Marianists use our gift of LISTENING to shed some light upon challenging questions – What is our world coming to? Why are we divided on so many issues? Why is there turmoil even in our Church? Can we say to one and all, “Pay Attention! Listen to my beloved Son!”
Let us grow in the virtues of Jesus, especially LISTENING. Can we imitate our beloved Mother Mary in her gifts of welcome (Visitation), attentiveness and acceptance (Annunciation), response with love and care, always with mind and heart attuned to Jesus.
If Lent seems to be passing quickly, then let us “Listen up!” Listen more carefully to God, “listen to the Beloved Son” – in the Scriptures, in the Liturgy, in our daily conversations. We can grow in holiness. As Marianists we can become a “Spectacle of Saints”! We will bring Jesus to the waiting world.