2nd Week of Lent - Sunday C

In our first reading from Genesis, we see the moment when God takes Abram outside to reveal the vastness of His promise: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” He adds, “shall your descendants be.” This call to trust in the Lord, despite the uncertainties of life, is foundational. Abram shows us what it means to have faith as he puts his complete trust in God, who credits this faith as righteousness.
When we believe in God, and place our faith in him, God sees goodness in us. He sees the good will of a loving heart who wishes to be in communion with him. This is the more profound aspect of what a covenant means, and is not to be understood as a mere transaction; it is a relationship built on trust. How often do we find ourselves yearning for assurance in our lives, much like Abram? Perhaps this is what grieves God the most, when we put our trust in things like money, and become so attached to it. He sees that the love which could be directed his way, is being directed to an inanimate, lifeless, and very illusory source of happiness. God continually assures us that he is with us, to protect and provide for our every need.

When we feverishly waste tremendous amounts of money on lottery tickets, and casinos and the like, are we not indirectly saying to God that he has left us lacking? Our toiling efforts to master and somehow outsmart the stock market, for example, especially now when there is so much more of an emphasis on economic stability and prosperity.. is it necessary? What void are we filling with these things, but more importantly what does it say about my relationship with God? This is why, for example, Saint Peter was so wrathful with even a well-meaning couple in the new testament, who sold all they had with a tiny little reservation put aside secretly. In the early Christian community, believers were selling their possessions and sharing the proceeds with those in need by laying it all at the feet of the apostles who would distribute and administrate accordingly. Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property but conspired to keep back a portion of the money for themselves while pretending to donate the entire amount to the apostles. Ananias brought the remaining amount to the apostles and presented it as if it were the full sale price. There was an apprehension in fully trusting in the Lord. And this is all of us.

Peter confronted Ananias, asking why he had lied to the Holy Spirit and kept back part of the money for himself. Peter made it clear that Ananias was not merely lying to humans but to God. Upon hearing this, Ananias fell down and died. Later, Sapphira came in, unaware of what had happened. Peter asked her if the amount they gave was the full price, and she also lied, and died.
This incident illustrates the seriousness of dishonesty and deceit within the early church and serves as a warning about the consequences of lying to God. The event led to great fear among the members of the church and those who heard about these things.
It was the tiny little reservation that didn’t make sense if one truly believed God was with them. Total trust is a journey. He knows. Let’s be courageous. I know this story about Ananias and Sapphira can evoke a number of questions, but let’s extract the main lessons being conveyed.
Jesus knows that in our human nature, as we journey with him, little corners of our hearts will harbour things that block us from fully enjoying being his disciples. A lack of complete trust is one of those things. He knew too that the apostles would struggle when his horrific passion began, and so he wanted to enlighten the darknesses of their hearts which robbed them of hope and freedom with a miracle. That miracle was the transfiguration.

In allowing the radiance of his divinity to shine forth from his mortal body, Jesus was preparing them for the diabolical attack to come, when bloodied and weak, he would struggle to his throne, which was the cross. Battered and crucified, the devil would tempt them with thoughts about how they should abandon him, and that his voice was not the voice of truth. Yet, they would remember, not only his tender loving voice, but the voice of another, who spoke at the mountain that day.
The voice from the cloud saying, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” The voice from the cloud of the Eternal Father, coupled with Jesus’ divine effulgence on display that day, would be a reassurance to their doubts, and so likewise, through prayer, we too can ask God to reassure us in our doubts and in our struggles, so that we too, like the apostles eventually realized, can place our complete and utter trust in him, and that will be evident only when we give him our unreserved and complete donation of ourselves. We will know this has happened when we no longer place our joy in money, and the pleasures, honours and powers of this world that, after using and exploiting our weaknesses, only hang us out to dry like a hunter’s captured game in the wilderness. Who among us desires to be the devil’s prey? And yet, in succumbing to all his allurements, that is exactly what we allow ourselves to become.

Finally, brothers and sisters, this entire homily and our desire to give Jesus our everything, is for nothing, if we do not bring it to prayer. How was Saint Francis able to place his complete trust in God, leave all his wealth behind, and begin to live his life radically for others? Prayer. He prayed. He made his life about prayer. Why are we struggling to pray? One reason is most likely because of one of those four substitutes for God that I just mentioned. Another reason is a conscience that needs to be purified in the confessional. If you’re not Catholic, what are you waiting for? Do your research, and stop procrastinating. You know that God is, and has been trying to speak to the deepest part of you now for quite some time. Make the leap, and enjoy the cool, refreshing waters of Jesus, who gives us the everlasting waters of his goodness.

May we all have the courage to leave everything behind to follow our Lord completely and unreservedly, as Abraham did in the Old Testament, and as the Apostles and the early Church believers and many martyrs and saints did in the New. “Lord Jesus, we wish to give ourselves to you completely, seeking, doing and loving our Father’s will.” Amen.