REFLECTION FOR TODAY,
August 6, 2020
By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA
Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Mark 9:2-3
The Transfiguration is a sign of hope, a glimpse of the heavenly promise that awaits us. This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him. In a world filled with many competing voices, these words of the Father, telling us to listen to the words of Jesus and his message of eternal life, are full of hope. Our faith in Christ transforms us, and we see in the Transfiguration the promise of what awaits us in our heavenly home.
Do you listen to the voice of God or see the glory of God in your life? Oftentimes this is a real struggle. We can easily become aware of all the noise around us and the problems we face and can focus in on them. As a result, it is often easy for us to miss seeing the voice and glory of God in our lives. So do you listen to the voice of God or see God’s glory in your life?
The feast we celebrate today is a commemoration of the fact that Jesus literally revealed His glory to three of the Apostles. He took them up a high mountain and was transfigured before them. He became dazzling white and radiant with glory. This was an important image for them to have in their minds in preparation for the very real image of the suffering and death Jesus was about to undergo.
One lesson we should take from this feast is the fact that the glory of Jesus was not lost on the Cross. Sure, His suffering and pain was made manifest at that time, but it doesn’t change the fact that His glory was still just as real while He suffered on the Cross.
The same is true in our lives. We are blessed beyond measure and God still desires to transform our souls into glorious beacons of light and grace. When He does this, we must strive to constantly see it. And when we suffer or face some Cross, we must never take our eyes off the glorious things He has done in our souls.
Reflect, today, upon the beautiful and profound transformation that God has done and continues to desire to do in your soul. Know that He wants you to fix your eyes upon this glory and forever remain grateful for it, especially as you endure any cross you are given.
Lord, may I see Your glory and the glory that You have bestowed upon my own soul. May my eyes forever remain fixed on that grace. May I see You and Your glory especially in difficult times. Jesus, I trust in You.