2nd Sunday of Lent

Taking Abram outside the Lord said "Look up at the sky and count the stars if you can.

Your descendants will be like that." Abram believed Yahweh who, because of this,

held him to be an upright man. And he said, "I am Yahweh who brought you from Ur

of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession." Then Abram asked, "My

Lord, how am I to know that it shall be mine?" Yahweh replied, "Bring me a three-

year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtle dove and a young

pigeon." Abram brought all these animals, cut them in two, and laid each half facing

its other half, but he did not cut the birds in half. The birds of prey came down upon

them, but Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep came

over Abram, and a dreadful darkness took hold of him. When the sun had set and

darkness had fallen, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between the halves

of the victims. On that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your

descendants I have given this country from the river of Egypt to the Great River, the

Euphrates.

Unite in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and look at those who walk in our way of

life. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. I have said it to you many times,

and now I repeat it with tears: they are heading for ruin; their belly is their god and

they feel proud of what should be their shame. They only think of earthly things. For

us, our citizenship is in heaven, from where we await the coming of our Savior, Jesus

Christ, the Lord. He will transfigure our lowly body, making it like his own body,

radiant in Glory, through the power which is his to submit everything to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, you my glory and

crown, be steadfast in the Lord.

Jesus took with him Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray. And

while he was praying, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became

dazzling white. Two men were talking with Jesus: Moses and Elijah. They had just

appeared in heavenly glory and were telling him about his departure that had to take

place in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had fallen asleep, but they awoke

suddenly and saw Jesus' Glory and the two men standing with him. As Moses and

Elijah were about to leave, Peter said to him, "Master, how good it is for us to be here

for we can make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." For Peter

didn't know what to say. And no sooner had he spoken than a cloud appeared and

covered them; and the disciples were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then these

words came from the cloud, "This is my Son, my Chosen one, listen to him." And after

the voice had spoken, Jesus was there alone. The disciples kept this to themselves at

the time, telling no one of anything they had seen.