Today the gospel is Mark’s account of the Transfiguration of Jesus. I note here that the story of the Transfiguration is used on the Second Sunday of Lent each year.
This Miracle is different. It is not about healing nor deliverance, about sickness nor health. There are no petitioners. There are no crowds. Peter and James and John are taken by Jesus and led by him to be alone. They are given a private audience and they see the glory of God shining on the face of Jesus. They witness echoes of God revealing Himself as thunder and lightening and storm. They are linked with the great figures of the Old Testament like Moses and Elijah. They hear the voice of the Father anointing Jesus as Son, the Beloved – listen to Him.
This is a private miracle. It is different to all the other miracles of Jesus. It seems to be only for the benefit of Peter and James and John. They receive a special private revelation from the Lord. Let us contemplate this mystery.
We know that Peter and James and John are singled out in the Gospel on other occasions. They are taken by Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane. They are invited to spend one hour with him.
This miracle to my mind is about religious experience. We all have a mountain experience of the greatness of God. There is a Tabor moment in our life when we experience God’s love so closely. Maybe, these moments are scarce, but the Gospel reminds us that they are real. Peter and James and John were given the miraculous privilege of witnessing the transfigured Jesus. This privilege was not given to others. They could and did draw on this memory throughout their lives as sustenance in difficult times. Peter did. (2Peter 1:18)
The three apostles were blest beyond our imagination to see the Glory of God. We know that didn’t make them instant saints. Indeed there were failures. But they never forgot the experience. They talked about it between themselves. It helped them repent and it helped them persevere.
What was you Tabor moment? I know it is a private matter, but it is good to share it with a few. These great moments that are real can be lost in our memory unless shared. Peter and James and John never forgot it.
This Miracle is different. It is not about healing nor deliverance, about sickness nor health. There are no petitioners. There are no crowds. Peter and James and John are taken by Jesus and led by him to be alone. They are given a private audience and they see the glory of God shining on the face of Jesus. They witness echoes of God revealing Himself as thunder and lightening and storm. They are linked with the great figures of the Old Testament like Moses and Elijah. They hear the voice of the Father anointing Jesus as Son, the Beloved – listen to Him.
This is a private miracle. It is different to all the other miracles of Jesus. It seems to be only for the benefit of Peter and James and John. They receive a special private revelation from the Lord. Let us contemplate this mystery.
We know that Peter and James and John are singled out in the Gospel on other occasions. They are taken by Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane. They are invited to spend one hour with him.
This miracle to my mind is about religious experience. We all have a mountain experience of the greatness of God. There is a Tabor moment in our life when we experience God’s love so closely. Maybe, these moments are scarce, but the Gospel reminds us that they are real. Peter and James and John were given the miraculous privilege of witnessing the transfigured Jesus. This privilege was not given to others. They could and did draw on this memory throughout their lives as sustenance in difficult times. Peter did. (2Peter 1:18)
The three apostles were blest beyond our imagination to see the Glory of God. We know that didn’t make them instant saints. Indeed there were failures. But they never forgot the experience. They talked about it between themselves. It helped them repent and it helped them persevere.
What was you Tabor moment? I know it is a private matter, but it is good to share it with a few. These great moments that are real can be lost in our memory unless shared. Peter and James and John never forgot it.
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