Today the readings express majesty and the prophetic. The gospel presents a second revelation of who Jesus is. The first we experienced on Christmas Day. Today it is the Transfiguration and the Father’s revelation of his Son.__________________________________________________
Yesterday’s reflection, how we respect others, was in fact about the virtue of humility. The feasts of Christmas and the Transfiguration are a presentation of the humility of the Son of God, Jesus the man. The Nativity presents Jesus willingly accepting his humanity and the vulnerability it carries. In the Transfiguration we experience Jesus, the adult, giving complete obedience to the Father’s will. Together these two moments in the life of Christ offer us an extraordinary insight into who Jesus was as a human being. In his adult life especially in the years of his public ministry, Jesus did not allow personal desires or the threats of opposition deter his doing the Father’s will.
Today I invite you to bring Jesus into your hearts with an awareness that we are called to do all we can in our lives to welcome God’s will for us into our lives. Our desire to live the will of God strengthens our relationship with the Father. Likewise it fortifies us in our struggles against sin and challenges to our faith.
Imagine what this experience must have been for Peter, James and John. Their fright should not surprise us. Likewise for ourselves, in those moments when we do recognize that God is placing challenges before us, we can also expect the same words from Jesus: "Rise, and do not be afraid." In short, he is saying, get up and let’s get on with what the Father wants us to do. We are in this together.
"The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth."
Psalm 97
