Now about eight days after these sayings 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.
POINTERS FOR PRAYER
1. The transfiguration experience was one that affirmed Jesus’ identity as the beloved disciple of God and strengthened him for the future. What have been the experiences, the moments of insight that have clarified your sense of who you are and being beloved by God?
2. On the mountain the disciples saw Jesus in a new way. Sometimes in friendships there are moments of sharing in which we get to know a friend in a new and deeper way. Have you had that experience in human friendship, or in your relationship with Jesus, with God, or with the Spirit of God within? Recall when it happened and what it was like for you?
3. For the disciples, the experience also served as a reminder that their task as they accompanied Jesus on the road to Jerusalem was really to listen to him. This puts our Lenten efforts in context. What have you found helpful to get you to listen and to understand more deeply the meaning of the life and message of Jesus?
A phrase in today’s Gospel speaks directly to each one of us: This is my son, the chosen one. Listen to him. We gather to hear the word of God and to listen to God speak to us through the Holy Readings. We do it every Sunday and, while it may sound easy, in our world, listening is hard work, both externally and internally. It is hard externally: there’s some much coming at us, news, music, phone calls, zoom meeting, emails, texts and WhatsApp. It is also hard internally.
Simone Weil, French philosopher and mystic, reflected long on the practice of attention. In a brief description, she once wrote:
Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.
Attention is a radical openness to reality, unclouded by ego or preconceived notions. It is bound to be hard work but also therapeutic. As in the story of Mary and Martha, it is the one thing necessary, as we all know in our better moments.