We are now in the second week of Lent. The Gospel for Sunday, Week 2 of Lent, is the Transfiguration of Christ, as recorded by St. Mark in his Gospel ( 9:2-10 ).       The First Reading at Mass is from Genesis 22 , the story of the sacrifice of Isaac. Although Isaac was not killed after all (God’s mercy), a sacrifice consists in the offering and not in the slaughter, so the sacrifice of love was indeed made.       From the earliest days of Christianity, the Church Fathers saw this sacrifice of Isaac as a type, an image, a foreshadowing of the Passion and death of Christ on the Cross. St. John Chrysostom (AD 344/354-407) wrote, “All these things were types of the Cross. That is why Christ said: Abraham rejoiced that he might see My day; he saw it, and was glad. How did he see it, considering that he [Abraham] was born so many years before? In type and in shadow.... The reality had to be depicted beforehand in type.”   ...

Baptism of the Lord       This Sunday, January 10th, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord.       St. John the Baptist tells us, “For this I came baptizing with water, that he [Jesus Christ] might be revealed to Israel.” John testifies, “I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” ( Jn 1:31-34 ). The evidence, the proof, John says, that Jesus is the Son of God is the Holy Spirit descending and remaining upon Jesus ( Jn 1:32-33 ; cf., Mt3:16 , Mk 1:10 , Lk 3:22 ). This was the first remarkable sign when John baptized the Lord Jesus.       There was a second remarkable sign: “A voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” ( Mk 1:11 ; cf. Lk 3:22 , Mt 3:17 ). This voice from heaven also came at Jesus’ transfiguration: “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased, listen to him” ( Mt 17:5 ; cf. Mk 9:7 ) and, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” ( Lk9:...