Pray, Fast, Give: Second Sunday of Lent

Second Week of Lent: Luke 9:28(b)-36

In Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, Jesus brings Peter, John, and James to a mountain to pray. There they are granted a vision of Jesus speaking with Moses and the prophet Elijah. God speaks to the group, declaring, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” Today, we too are called to listen for Jesus’s voice in our world, and to be transformed by what we hear.

Transforming God,

Just as Jesus is one with you, so I am called to oneness - with you and my neighbors.

Help me to listen for your voice in those I encounter, especially those who are vulnerable and in need.

May my transformed efforts seek to alleviate human suffering and foster greater solidarity in our world.

Amen.

What is keeping you from your own “Mountain Top Moment”? What keeps you from listening for God’s voice in the voices of those who are vulnerable or in need? Sometimes, we need a change of scenery to get a new perspective. This can be something as simple as turning off the T.V., computer, or phone, and sitting quietly. Lay aside distractions and try to commit 10 minutes to prayer each day, asking that God’s voice and presence be made known.

Many simple operations can change a person’s quality of life almost immediately, helping them regain their dignity and livelihood, and allowing them to return to work as a productive member of society. But surgical resources that easily treat disease and debilitating accidents in the United States remain inaccessible for the vast majority of people in Bolivia. Our short-term medical mission trips and mobile campaigns seek to transform this reality. Just as US medical teams participate in mission trips to Bolivia, our Bolivian partner physicians carry out periodic surgical campaigns. There, they "set-up shop" in under-equipped hospitals to provide surgeries for patients unable to travel to larger hospitals. These teams of Bolivian professionals also train their peers during these intense three- to seven-day surgical campaigns. Since 2014, a mobile surgery unit has allowed our Bolivian partners to offer general laparoscopic surgeries even in remote towns.