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<< Saturday, August 6, 2005 >>

Transfiguration

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
2 Peter 1:16-19

Psalm 97
Matthew 17:1-9

LISTEN UP!

“Suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them. Out of the cloud came a voice which said, ‘This is My beloved Son on Whom My favor rests. Listen to Him.’ ” —Matthew 17:5

Many Christians say they have difficulty listening to God, but many of these Christians profess that Jesus is their Lord. How can Jesus be our Lord and order every detail of our lives if we don’t hear Him?

At Jesus’ Transfiguration, God the Father commanded us to listen to Jesus (Mt 17:5). This means the Lord will provide the grace for us to hear Him, and His grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9). To decide to accept the grace of listening to Jesus, we should:

obey the Church, her magisterium, bishops, and the Pope,
devote ourselves to communal life in Christ (Acts 2:42),
live a sacramental life, including a daily time of prayer,
abide in God’s word (Jn 8:31),
change our lifestyles dramatically to maximize listening and minimize distractions, and
set aside each day a time to be silent.

The Lord expects us to try to listen to Him daily. He will honor our attempts — no matter how feeble they are — and tell us “things great beyond reach” of our knowledge (Jer 33:3).

What an awesome privilege to listen to the all-holy, Triune God! Let us center our day and our lives on listening to Him and obeying Him.

Prayer: Father, make listening to You a top priority for me.

Promise: “We possess the prophetic message as something altogether reliable. Keep your attention closely fixed on it, as you would on a lamp shining in a dark place until the first streaks of dawn appear and the morning star rises in your hearts.” —2 Pt 1:19

Praise: Praise Jesus, transfigured in glory, the “Light of the world” (Jn 8:12), shining in radiant splendor.

The Word Among Us

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Meditation
Matthew 17:1-9

The Transfiguration of the Lord

When an architect designs a new building, he will often build a model of his design so that those funding the project can have an idea of what the final product will look like. In a sense, this is also what is going on in today’s gospel reading. Of course, the transfiguration verifies that Jesus is God. But it also presents us with a scaled-down “model” of the way we will be transformed when Jesus comes again in glory.

It must have been an amazing sight. Right there before Peter, James, and John, Jesus was transformed. His face shone like the sun. His clothes became dazzlingly bright. Awash in celestial glory, the apostles were reduced to silence. Now contrast this image to the next time the apostles would see Jesus “lifted up.” On Mount Tabor, he was exalted in glory. But on Golgotha, he was raised high on a cross, marred beyond recognition. His whole body was covered in blood as he hung there, pierced and whipped, struggling for every breath.

Isn’t this the ultimate in irony? The same Jesus who was rejected and executed by men is declared by God as beloved, pleasing, and worthy of all honor and glory. What should we make of this contrast?

First, we know that we can put our faith in Jesus. Humanity may have rejected him, but God has exalted him and given him the power to heal and to save. More than anything else, he is God’s beloved Son, pierced for our transgressions but now reigning in glory.

Second, we can place our hope in the promise of resurrection. As we continue to place our faith in Jesus and submit to his Spirit, we too will be completely transformed. Just as he was on Mount Tabor, we too will be raised up, spotless and radiant, when Jesus comes again. Granted, we may feel disfigured at times as we try to live for Christ in this world. But we need never lose our confidence. We have God’s promise of transformation—and the power of his Spirit to help us—to see us through.

“Father, I want to stay close to Jesus today. I can’t wait to be with you forever. Please pour out your Spirit upon your whole church. Encourage us all and let us know how much you love us and long to transform us.”

Daniel 7:9-10,13-14; Psalm 97:1-2,5-6,9; 2 Peter 1:16-19

One Bread, One Body