Prayer for the Day
O Lord God, You revealed the true radiance of Christ in the glory of His Transfiguration. May the food we receive from heaven change us into His image. Amen.
(from the Prayer After Communion – Feast of the Transfiguration)
Reflection
Doesn't it seem that at those times when something unique, unexpected and unexplainable happens, the temptation to run off and tell people about it is an extremely hard urge to repress? Especially when it is something that will affect the lives of others, as well?
Those who followed Jesus (especially His inner circle) must have had plenty of opportunities to see unexpected and unexplainable things. But the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-9) must have been beyond it all!
Peter saying, "Lord, it is good that we are here. . . ." is an understatement and a revelation. He is speaking for us and to us.
If anyone had his life transformed by meeting Jesus, it was surely St. Peter, who left his fishing boat and nets to follow a prophet who offered to make him a fisher of men. Peter is our surrogate witness at the Transfiguration.
Jesus knew what He was doing in choosing Peter; a tough, practical, and no-nonsense guy. Peter was a man like my dad, and many others of his generation who never went anywhere without their pocket knife, just in case it was needed. Someone who had been there, done that; and who could be trusted to always tell it like it is.
Peter’s first thought on seeing Jesus, Moses and Elijah together was to offer to build three tents. What else would be more useful? He was probably already looking around to see what he could find to work with and halfway annoyed when God interrupted to say: “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” Right in the middle of starting a project! Darn!
Years later Peter must have been thinking of the Transfiguration when he told the early Christians that “we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it.” (2 Peter 1:16-19) Peter could state that Jesus’ message was “altogether reliable” because he had been at the Transfiguration, had heard the voice of God and had seen what happened with his own two skeptical eyes. This was no myth that he had picked up from some otherworldly dreamer and Peter knew that his audience knew this.
Jesus is always there for us as He was there for Peter, James and John. If we seek the truth, which is Jesus, we can and will be brought to our knees! He will then touch us in our need and say, "Rise, and do not be afraid." (Matthew 17:7)
Only when we believe, in the depths of our being, that Jesus is truly the Son of Man and that He has been raised from the dead for the salvation of the world and is the only way to everlasting life, then our faith will not be contained by doubt, but rather will live a new life that will urge us to tell this vision to one and all.
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