“It’s not time to make a change, just relax take it easy. Your still young, that’s your fault there’s so much you have to know.” So starts the song, Father & Son, by Cat Stevens from the early seventies. Stevens wrote the song as a dialogue between a dad and his son who obviously have a complicated relationship. In the song the father reminds the son: “I was once like you are know and I know that it’s not easy; I am old but I am happy.” And when the son responds to the father he announces that “I have to go away” as he sets out on his own. This song came out not long after my father died, when I was 15 years old. I had practically no relationship with my father as he and my mom separated when I was much younger. Yet still I know how important a father and son relationship can be. I am grateful that in my role as a father, I have a much better relationship with my son and he has always made me a proud dad.
The importance of a good father-son relationship is well documented by many professionals and society in general. And we do recognize that sometimes that same father and son relationship is not ideal. But when we have that great father-son relationship; it truly is something very beautiful; or as the commercial says: “priceless”.
As people of faith we recognize the importance of the relationship between the Father and the Son and how we are called to relationship with them too.
In our readings today we encounter two profound father-son relationships. Abraham loved his son Isaac. He loved him profoundly. Isaac loved and respected his father. Abraham was a very old man when Isaac was born. His birth gave Abraham the heir he longed for. Yet here we have Abraham being put to the test; God asks him to sacrifice his son on a mountain as a sign of his profound love for Him. Of course God spares Isaac and Abraham passes the test. Abraham pleased God and he made a great covenant with him. At the Abbey the monks chant a refrain to celebrate Abraham’s faithfulness and the covenant God makes with him:
“I will make a great nation of you; I will bless you and make your name great; so that you may be a blessing”!
The Gospel of Mark brings us another Father-Son moment and this too happens on a mountain. This is the story of the Transfiguration; Jesus with Peter, James and John is transfigured before them as Elijah and Moses appear to have a chat with Jesus. St. Mark does not tell us what they spoke about yet other Gospels point to them talking about Jesus’ coming Crucifixion and Resurrection. Poor St. Peter; he’s so overwhelmed he wants to pitch tents. Our friends the Apostles, even bearing witness to the Transfiguration, still don’t get it about Jesus. So God the Father intervenes; He and His Son have a remarkable Father-Son moment. We hear the voice of God: This is my beloved Son, listen to Him. The Apostles were privileged to hear this message; and through this Gospel, so are we. And this Father-Son relationship includes us. Like the Apostles, we sometimes are dense; we don’t get it. We hold back from that total intimate relationship with Jesus. So here we have the Father, telling us to listen to His Son. Do we?
What does the story of Abraham and Isaac and God the Father and Jesus at the Transfiguration mean for us? Quite simply, it seems that this is a lesson about total trust in God, and listening to Jesus so we may follow the Father’s will in our everyday lives.
In the week ahead, this second week of Lent, can we begin by committing to re-reading and praying with these two Scriptures? And when we do, can we focus on the powerful love of this Father-Son relationship and how we are invited into this relationship too? Also for this coming week, since we are journeying through Lent, how are we doing with our Lenten commitments? If on schedule, great; if not, we can start anew right now. And that will please the Father and the Son. Try Stations of the Cross this coming Friday. This devotion is scheduled right after morning mass and again at 6:30 in the evening. And finally, since we focused on relationships in these readings, can we do something this week to celebrate, strengthen or restore one relationship in our lives. We all have someone in our lives that we can reconcile with or simply say I love you; THIS WEEK.
That Cat Stevens song, Father & Son, was about a father and son working through a complicated relationship. The relationship we are called to with the Father & the Son, our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, is all that we need! For some it will be complicated, but for all, it will be priceless!
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