2 Six days later, three of them did see it. Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. 3 His clothes shimmered, glistening white, whiter than any bleach could make them. 4 Elijah, along with Moses, came into view, in deep conversation with Jesus. 5 Peter interrupted, "Rabbi, this is a great moment! Let's build three memorials - one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah." 6 He blurted this out without thinking, stunned as they all were by what they were seeing. 7 Just then a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and from deep in the cloud, a voice: "This is my Son, marked by my love. Listen to him." 8 The next minute the disciples were looking around, rubbing their eyes, seeing nothing but Jesus, only Jesus. 9 Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. "Don't tell a soul what you saw. After the Son of Man rises from the dead, you're free to talk.”
There are some things too precious and holy to shout from the mountain tops. First there has to be a relationship and an experience through which this special moment can be understood. For Peter, James and John, that relationship was with Jesus and the experience which would make sense of the mystical experience of the transfiguration was the resurrection.
They are to tell no one, just stay with Jesus and listen to Him. Later they can tell the whole story, in word and deeds.
We are called to be bold in our witness to the transforming power of God in Jesus Christ.
We cannot always shout it out, but we can and are empowered by that which we cannot tell to do that which is very telling - which causes people to recognize that we have been with Jesus.
To have had a transforming experience, is to have a spirit within which empowers us to live as those who know we are loved by God. And that means someone else is going to be better off!
"It is no use walking anywhere to preach
unless our walking is our preaching."
St. Francis of Assisi
Prayer thought for the week: “Lord help me to live so that my living is the telling of your love and grace.”
No comments:
Post a Comment