In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
The Lord is my light and salvation
1. Let us open our hearts to receive God’s Word
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen. (Lk 9:28b-36)
i. Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.
“Everyone should stay in their rightful place”,
they tell us.
We struggle down here, the gods enjoy up there!
Icarus tries to reach the sun, only to melt back down.
Should we repress our deeper desires?
Should our only aspiration be to climb over others?
Jesus opens another way:
the encounter of heaven and earth,
face transformed, clothes aglow –
the praying heart makes space for the sun to shine from within:
God with us! Being in God!
Reflect:
- What does prayer mean for you?
ii. Moses and Elijah appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
There’s something strange!
Jarring.
“Glory” and “departure” (a violent death in Jerusalem)!
If « glory » implies « success »
there can be no place for failure.
If Jerusalem is the place of power,
to be killed there implies joining the “losers”!
But if “glory” carries the “presence of God” and his “light”,
if the one shining in glory goes down in Jerusalem,
then God overturns death with resurrected life,
losers recover hope,
power becomes lifegiving service.
Reflect
- For which kind of glory do you aspire?
iii. … a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”
Before they were seeing (his glory)
and tried to capture it in three tents.
Now they’re no longer seeing,
and about to be paralysed by fear.
Before they don’t seem to have been hearing,
But now yes – “This is my Son my Chosen: listen to him”! –
and they can take the next step.
In our journey in life it’s rare that we can see:
without a map, without signs of success.
But there’s a way: to listen to Him,
to let Him show the next turn – at its time
to follow His way – his lifestyle, his principles,
Without a map, without seeing
but full of inner glory, trusting Him all along.
Reflect
How are you being called to live an authentic life?
3. Our Father