Jerusalem has been much in the news lately as the war rages on between Israel and the Hamas.  I’m sure you’ve seen pictures of the old city of Jerusalem.  The Al Aqsa Mosque, also known as the Golden Dome of the Rock, dominates the ancient skyline.  The gold-encrusted dome sits atop a Muslim mosque and a site that is sacred, not only to believers of Islam, but to Christians and Jewish people as well.  Those of you who have been to Jerusalem certainly remember the first time you saw this dome glistening in the sun.  But, you may not realize that this mosque was built there for a very particular reason.  In the middle of the sanctuary is a large rock where, according to Islamic tradition, Mohammed was raised into the heavens and had a vision of God.  It is for the Muslims, the third most sacred site, after Mecca and Medina.  According to Jewish tradition, however, this stone is Moriah, where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac, as we heard in today’s first reading.  Not far from there is the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, built over the rock of Calvary, where God did sacrifice his only Son for our sins.  Moriah and Calvary are joined together as unique examples of sacrificial love.

In today’s second reading, we hear Saint Paul pose the question to the Romans, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  Abraham must have wondered whether God was for him or against him when he was instructed to take his son and go to Moriah to offer him in sacrifice.  Abraham had prayed for decades for a son.  God finally heard Abraham’s prayers and gave him a son when he was almost 100 years old.  Now that same God appeared to be asking for this precious gift to be returned.  We shudder at the idea of human sacrifice, but this was a common practice in many ancient civilizations; even the Aztecs and Mayans did it until as recently as five hundred years ago.  The lesson of the account we hear today is that Abraham is rightly called our father in faith because he does not doubt, nor does he question God’s commands.  He faithfully sets out to do the Father’s will, no matter how much it will cost him.

Seeing Abraham’s display of faith, God sends an angel to stop the sacrifice of Isaac and provides a ram in the child’s place, and Abraham is forever blessed for his faithfulness.  Stories such as this one in the Old Testament are key to a better understanding of the events that would later unfold in the New Testament.  Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, on Moriah is unmistakably connected to God the Father’s willingness to sacrifice his only Son, Jesus, for our salvation, at Calvary.  And notice, God is never outdone in his generosity.  Whereas Abraham was spared the agony of sacrificing his son, God wasn’t – that’s how much he loves us!

The Gospels relate that Jesus foretold his own sacrifice three times before it actually took place.  The first time he did so in Mark’s gospel occurred shortly before the passage that we have just heard – about the Transfiguration.  As they were on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus told his disciples “that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.”  Jesus spoke openly of his death, and he also foretold that he would rise on the third day.  But his disciples had no notion what the phrase, “to rise after three days” meant.  They only heard that their master was going to die.  The Transfiguration was intended to give them assurance – as they prepared to join Jesus on his way to Jerusalem and his death – that it would lead to a new and glorious life.

At the Transfiguration, the Apostles were privileged to catch a glimpse of how Jesus would appear in resurrected glory.  Although they were amazed and terrified at the same time, the presence of Moses, the patriarch, and Elijah, the great prophet, assured them that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and prophets.  Then, God spoke from the heavens just as he did at Jesus’ baptism.  God tells them, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”  The Apostles did not fully understand who Jesus was or what he was about, but there was no doubt that he was God’s son, a term used throughout the Old Testament of those who were faithful to God and blessed by God.  Their faith was strengthened as the long way of the cross, the journey to Jerusalem, loomed before them.

Just as the Apostles’ perspectives on their life and mission changed completely during their time atop Mount Tabor, we continue our journey through this Lenten season seeking transformation – conversion.  We pray that our life and our sense of mission may be strengthened by our Lenten observance – and our faith in the Resurrection.  We do know what that means.  So, we prepare to join Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem, where he will be sacrificed for us and will rise from the dead to offer us a new and glorious life.