Today’s readings are remarkable. First, there is the majestic and supernatural imagery of the first reading from Daniel, which prefigures Jesus’ Transfiguration.
Then there’s Saint Peter’s eyewitness account of the majesty of God revealed in Jesus in our second reading and described in the Gospel of Mark.
As I read and prayed over these powerful readings, I was struck by several elements. The first was wonder. What would it be like to see the Ancient One upon a throne with wheels of burning flames shooting out, with thousands and thousands ministering to him, and then one like the Son of man appears and receives dominion, glory, and kingship…”
What would it have been like to see Jesus’ divinity radiating out of Him to the point that His clothes were dazzling white? And, what would it have been like to see Elijah and Moses, who had died, suddenly appear and speak with Jesus on that mountain?
The Awe of Encountering God
If you think about it and put yourself in Daniel, Saint Peter, Saint James, and Saint John’s place, it makes sense that they were rocked emotionally and cognitively; can you imagine trying to process it all?
If you look at this reading from Daniel as well as Saint Peter’s and Saint Mark’s accounts of the Transfiguration of Jesus there’s an understandable fear of the awesome nature of God and their proximity to Him. This is the second element that struck me.
But God knows our fears and our trepidations when we draw nearer to Him through faith than we have before, moments when we surrender more fully to the will of God.
God Provides Solid Ground
Up on that mountain, the revelation of Jesus’ divinity was needed to strengthen the faith of Saint Peter, Saint James, and Saint John for their mission. However, this awesome supernatural experience required that God also get them back on solid footing, and so from the clouds emanated the Father’s words, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.”
Those are the words that God speaks to us in a myriad of ways, words that reassure us that Jesus is the Son of God and the One we need to listen to in the ordinary and extraordinary moments of our lives.
I truly appreciate that even after all they had seen and heard, they still didn’t fully understand and questioned among themselves “what rising from the dead meant.” How human is that?
In many ways, we are like Saint Peter, Saint James, and Saint John, blessed by Jesus revealing His divinity to us in the Word, Sacraments, Adoration, and prayer, yet still we have questions. This is when it is good to heed Peter's words: (that we) “…will do well to pay attention to the presence of God in our lives as a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in (our) your hearts.”
Let us approach God with wonder, pious fear, and, most of all, attentive faith.
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and Rosary) at the 30-minute mark on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
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