REFLECTION FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT LIFTING THE VEIL The gospel is where the veil was lifted slightly, and the apostles got a little glimpse into the real nature of Jesus. Of course, he was human and, up till now, their only experience of him was within that human framework. However, he was also divine, and something of that was seen in this situation. Peter, James and John were close friends of Jesus, and they were the ones who seem to have accompanied him on several occasions. On a human level, they could claim to know him well, to know how he thought, and to be familiar with his actions. The miracles were strong signs, of course, but then, even if only God could effect a miracle, he has been doing that through saints and prophets since the beginning of time. Today was different. There was something unearthly, something other-worldly about it. The natural human reaction in the presence of such is to be afraid, so the apostles were terrified and covered their faces. The face of Jesus became like a mirror, reflecting back the glory of the Father. The appearance of Moses, as the Lawgiver, and Elijah, as the Prophet, were significant figures, because Jesus had come to announce that his mission was to fulfil the law and the prophets. I have had the privilege of being at many a bedside when someone died. Many of them were ordinary unpretentious people, who never drew much attention during their lifetime. I have been deeply edified by many of them, as they approached death with a quiet dignity, and a serene confidence. There was a faith present that had been unnoticed during their lifetime, and they were seen at their best at that moment. This was the acid test of their whole lives and, at this moment, they became transfigured into people who were at peace with themselves, and at one with God. In todays gospel, the apostles had a glimpse of who Jesus really was. Because I am a human being, it is much easier for me to relate to Jesus as a human being, who was also God. The extraordinary is found in the ordinary. In todays gospel, Jesus is raised above ground level, as it were. The next time that will actually happen will be on Calvary. No matter how much of his glory is revealed along the way, his ultimate purpose is to die so that we might live. Redemption does not mean lifting us out of our human condition, nor does holiness mean becoming so heavenly as to be no earthly good. Redemption is something that is effected deep down within us, where the real me dwells, where I am most truly myself. It is there that the bondage and the slavery is found, and it is from there that our freedom begins. The further down into my humanity I am prepared to go, where I am willing to name, claim, and tame my demons, the more I reflect the face of Jesus, the more glorified I become. When the vision was over, when Moses and Elijah had gone, when the brilliance was dimmed, the apostles opened their eyes, (and these words are powerfully significant) they saw no one but only Jesus. It was back to reality, to business as usual. Peter had wanted to build some sore of permanent dwelling on the mountain, but Jesus knew that they had to come down off the mountain and face reality, and that is why he even referred to the fact that he was going to die. Martin Luther King referred to his vision of civil rights for his people, with the words, Ive been to the mountain. as he spoke he was back among his people again, and was soon to be killed. It is good to go to the mountain on occasions, in prayer, and get a wider view of life; but it is more important to return to earth, and face the realities of that life. There are many instances in the gospels where we are told that Jesus went aside, he went up the mountain, he went away to be alone. These were times of prayer, in which he listened to his Father, and that is why he can tell us that I never say anything unless the Father tells me to. Our reality is limited to the horizons of our vision. There is no such thing as a fixed horizon, however, because the higher my point of vision, the further off the horizon. Faith is living with acceptance within my own horizons, and knowing that there are infinite possibilities and realities beyond that. It is living with the certainty of a Higher Power, because my path of life is strewn with obstacles that, on my own, I cannot cross. To face Calvary, Jesus sought and received the assurances of the Father. This was the Fathers will, and the Father would see him through. That is why, instead of referring directly to his death, he told the apostles to reveal what they had seen only after he had risen from the dead. That is the kind of faith that comes from going to the mountain in prayer. Response: I said earlier that it is more important for me to recognize the humanity of Jesus, and leave it to him to reveal his divinity. In other words, as a person, probably the highest compliment that could be paid to you is to describe you as a decent and wholesome human being. That is the foundation of everything God calls you to, because his grace builds on that, and never replaces it, as St. Augustine will reiterate. Going aside with the Lord would be a good description of prayer. I can do this in the midst of the madding crowd. I can enter my heart and be with him whenever I choose. If I were to lay out the gospel story before you now, I could highlight those times when Jesus brought his apostles to one side. Those were special moments. It was at one such time that he explained the parables; it was at another that he taught them to pray, and gave them a prayer to say; it was at such a time that they saw him glorified, and on a later occasion they would witness his agony. These were moments of profound formation for them, and they came to know him better, and to understand his message better, as a result of those private moments. The Bible tells us that when Moses came down the mountain after his meeting with God, that his face shone so brightly that people were unable to look at him. He was reflecting the glory of his encounter, and his face was reflecting the light within him. That is part of the role of a Christian. lf I believe that I am saved, then I have a serious obligation to look saved. A cynical philosopher said one time, You Christians make me sick. You speak of having a Redeemer, but not many of you look redeemed. Christianity is about attracting, not promoting. Who and what I am is my message. If I enter your house and tell you I have chickenpox, when, in fact, I have measles, which do you think youll catch? What I have, or what I say I have? There is such a thing as a prayer place, and many people are aware of that in their lives. For some, its a bedroom; for others its a favourite armchair; or for another its a particular walk by the shore, or through the fields. Its a place were I can get away from it all, and I have time to reflect. A life without reflection is not worth living. Reflection, meditation, prayer, etc., it matters little which word we use, because basically they are all different dimensions of the same thing. A friend of mine will return from a walk, with his eyes lit up, and a sense of excitement in his face. He has just watched a seagull gliding gently in the sky, turning this way, and then the other way, without moving a wing. He has heard an evening chorus, as he wandered through the trees, or he stood motionless to watch a robin. Such a person is really alive and, for such a one, prayer is a joy. I see his blood upon the rose, and in the stars the glory of his eyes; his body gleams amid eternal snows, his tears fall from the skies. The ideal of Christianity is to see Christ in everyone, and to be Christ to everyone. Not that easy. In fact, I often wonder how the Father can see Christ in some of them. However, have you ever heard the phrase, Oh, hes really nice when you get to know him. In other words, it is only when you begin to be Christ to the other than you will begin to see Christ in that person. There would be little merit in it if you could see Christ in the other person first. Surely, theres at least one person in your life that you should have another look at. Holiness is not what happens on the mountain. Its what happens when I am down into the reality and the humdrum of everyday existence. I can think of the mountain, of course, at such times, and I will get courage from the thought. When Jesus came down from the mountain, it was to head for Jerusalem, and face death. Our daily humdrum contains a thousand ways of dying; of all the many dyings we have to do in our loving of others; dying to our pride, our opinions, our biases, our intolerance, our impatience, etc. When is the last time you ever died for another? That was the last time you really loved someone, and greater love than this no one has that someone should die for another. The old monk had spent a great deal of his life with the Lord, either in contemplation, reflection, community prayers, or during his ordinary work detail. He always had a secret hope, and he never knew from where exactly it had come. He had a secret hope of actually seeing some visible sign of the reality of the Lords presence in his life. Although he hesitated to use the word, he secretly longed for some sort of vision. One day he was in the chapel praying, when, suddenly, he looked up, and there he saw Jesus in full physical, visible form. Jesus smiled at, him, and the monk was so dumbfounded that he just stared, and smiled back. He was in the midst of the most beautiful experience of his life when suddenly the doorbell rang. It was the time of day when the homeless and the hungry came to the monastery for something to eat. Today was his turn to take care of them. Despite his excitement, he got up quietly, and went out to take care of the old man at the door. When the job was done, he rushed back into the chapel and, yes, Jesus was still there, waiting for him. He fell on his knees and thanked Jesus for waiting for him. Jesus smiled, and said, If you had not gone out to take care of that poor hungry man, I would not have remained on until you returned. Jesus was just as present at the door as he was in the chapel. I wish you all a grace-trans-formative Sunday in the Lord!
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 08:57:29 +0000
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