Somewhere in New York

 

Mass Readings and Reflection for March 1st 2026

First Reading: (Genesis 12:1–4a) God calls Abram to leave his homeland and promises to make him a great nation, blessing all the families of the earth through him, and Abram goes in faith.

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 33)

Response: Lord, let Your steadfast love be upon us, as we place our trust in You.

Second Reading: (Timothy 1:8b–10)

Alleluia!Alleluia!

From the bright cloud the Father’s voice is heard:
This is My Son, the Beloved; listen to Him.

Gospel: (Matthew 17:1–9)

Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John; His face shines like the sun, Moses and Elijah appear, and the Father’s voice declares, “This is My Son, the Beloved… listen to Him.”

Reflection:

Happy first day of March 2026. Spring is on sight and this is the second week of Lent. At the beginning of Lent, there is always enthusiasm. We give things up both physical and spiritual. We take on devotions. We promise more prayers. But after a week or two, we can grow tired or distracted and forget what we first resolved to do. 

The Gospel reading today gives us some strength for that fatigue.

On the mountain, Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John. To be transfigured means to be transformed. I always remember the book by Frantz Kafka, metamorphosis whenever I read this part of the Gospel of transformation. During this time,the disciples, who normally saw Christ in His humanity, were given a rare privileged glimpse of His divinity shining through.

There is a parallel with Moses. When Moses encountered God, his face shone so brightly that he had to veil it. But the light on Moses was external, God’s glory reflecting upon him. In Jesus, the light is not reflected. It comes from within. He is light from light, as we profess in the Creed. His divinity radiates through His humanity.

The Transfiguration points forward to what awaits us. The Book of Revelation speaks of the heavenly Jerusalem illuminated not by sun or lamp, but by God Himself. Christ is the light. That glory is not only future, it begins even now.

Lent is not about misery. It is about making space. We empty ourselves of distractions so we can hear God more clearly. The privileged place where we hear Him is at the Mass: in the proclamation of the Word and in the reception of His Body and Blood.

We live in a world filled with noise, too much noise, technology, commentary, endless opinions, over eight billion in approximation. We are therefore reminded to be careful, to seek what is true. For Christians, truth is not constructed by trends. It is revealed in Scripture and in Christ.

That is why it is helpful to create a “mountaintop” in our own homes, a quiet corner, perhaps even a small prayer space, where we can withdraw and listen. A few moments with the Scriptures. A notebook. A word or phrase that stands out. Something to carry throughout the day or even the entire week. 

In reading a commentary on Matthew’s Gospel, the writer stated that, theTransfiguration shows us that life in Christ is about fullness of life now. Christianity is not simply postponing joy until Heaven. The divine presence can be experienced in our midst, even in a world filled with disappointment and betrayals.

But St. Paul reminds Timothy that we must also share in suffering for the Gospel. To suffer for the Gospel means to live visibly and faithfully according to what we believe. The suffering often comes not from outright hostility, but from indifference.

There is a story of St. Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds. Why did he do that? Because people were indifferent. They were not attacking him, they were ignoring him. Yet Francis transformed that frustration into joy and preached anyway, trusting that God’s Word would bear fruit.

We hope more than the birds will listen. But the most powerful preaching is not in words, it is in how we live. If others see peace, patience, charity, and quiet joy in us, they will glimpse something of that mountaintop light.

Lent prepares us for Easter, for the Sacred Triduum, for the Resurrection. Yet even now, we are invited to experience the joy of Christ’s presence. We ask for the grace to be transformed, so that His light shines through us, as it shone through Him on the mountain.

May we listen to Him.
May we create space to hear Him.
And may we share His light with a world that longs for it.

Amen

God bless you.

Pal Ronnie