Listen to Him (Feast of the Transfiguration)

Today’s gospel account of the transfiguration event (Mt. 17:1-9) describes the beautiful experience of Jesus and three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, on the mountain: While Jesus was praying, His face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glory conversing with him. Peter and his companions saw his glory. A cloud overshadowed them and a voice was heard: “This is my beloved Son, on whom my favor rests; listen to him.”

Allow me to offer two points for our reflection on this Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord. First, growing in confidence amid the hardships in life; second, growing in obedience as our path to a truly blessed life.

Growing in confidence amid the hardships in life. We grow in confidence by relishing our beautiful experiences of God. Let us remember that this event of the transfiguration happened right after the Lord had predicted his passion and death. Hence, this is meant to provide the disciples that needed beautiful experience and memory of the glory of Jesus the Lord. This beautiful memory will serve as their source of their strength and confidence when the hour of Jesus’ suffering comes. This beautiful experience is the promise of the Easter glory even as they all go through the fearful disorientation and insecurities set off by the passion and death of Jesus, the Christ, in Calvary.

Only much later as a priest have I really appreciated what my spiritual director years ago would have me do.  He would help me articulate my uplifting encounters with God in prayer and in life. He would ask me to celebrate the joy of those intimate communions. He would tell me again and again to “relish and savor... relish and savor... stay there... take your time...” savor the love of God.  Because there will come a time, he would continue to remind me, that you will be in desolation-- when God is silent in times of your suffering, when life is dark and stormy.  On these trying times, the beautiful memories of God’s love are your only source of strength and the assurance that in time everything will turn out fine.

So, where do we draw strength when we are down and out? What gives us confidence to continue at times when life seems to be just a gruelling battle of uncertainties and even of suffering? When our sinfulness brings us into a frightening spiritual darkness, what gives us hope that allows us to move on and reach out to God like the one who rushes towards the beckoning light at the end of a long and dark tunnel?

Our beautiful experiences with God can see us through the darkness of desolation when it comes and sometimes lingers. Relishing these beautiful experiences helps us grow in confidence amid the hardships in life. Is there a moment we can go back to when we have experienced that great joy of being loved by God? Relish these beautiful moments.

Growing in obedience leads to a truly blessed life. A blessed life is a journey marked by obedience to the commands of God.  We are assured of the gift of God’s blessing when we follow God’s commands because his commandments are the pathways to blessedness.  Disobedience has led humanity to the slavery of sin and the insecurity of death; only the love of God can take away the curse of sin. Abraham was blessed and his descendants through him because he trusted and obeyed God’s command for him to set off to a land which God would show him. As for Jesus himself, He won for all of humanity and creation the ultimate blessing of salvation and life because he has undone Adam’s disobedience by his own obedience to the Father even to the cross and unto death. Hence, listening to and obeying God’s will is our path to a blessed life.

No wonder, then, during the beautiful experience of the transfiguration of Jesus before Peter, James, and John, the voice of the Father is heard saying: “This is my beloved Son, on whom my favor rests; listen to him.” Loud and clear. “Listen to my beloved Son!”  Jesus, the beloved Son, is our way to a truly blessed life; hence, the Father reminds us to listen to him.

Our generation needs this reminder. We have turned into an arrogant people who listen only to our own whims and caprices. We don’t want to obey. We assert what we want.  We ignore the Lord and his voice by our decisions and lifestyle that are contrary to his precepts.  We need to realize that this arrogance is leading us to destruction.  Time and again, we hear real stories of people in pain. Many times their stories end with a painful question directed towards God: “Where are you? Why do you make me suffer? Don’t you truly love me and care for me?”  

We tend to blame others and God for the consequences of our foolishness and hardness of heart. Our gospel today reminds us that God always desire what is good and beautiful for us. He wants us to have a blessed life. But we need to rediscover our trust in God’s commandments which lead us to a blessed life. We need to listen to Jesus, the beloved Son.

On this Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, let us grow in confidence amid challenges in life and in obedience to God’s will by listening to Jesus, the beloved Son. He is our path to a truly blessed life.

Do I listen to the voice of the Beloved Son and allow Him to be my guide in life? Were there times when I ignored Him and went my own way? Have I ever blamed the Lord for the misfortunes I brought to myself?