Bible
Study: Daniel 7, 9 to 14. 2nd Peter 1, 16 to 19 and Luke 9, 28 to 36.
Have you ever been to a place that
you start wondering whether you are dreaming? When was the last time you went
on an adventure or took a trip to a place you have never been to before? Can you
remember how you strongly felt like remaining there forever? This is exactly
what we celebrate today.
In the Transfiguration, Jesus took
Peter, James and John on an adventure to heaven. He gave them a tiny glimpse of
what it would be like when we would finally behold the glory of heaven. Indeed,
today’s feast is one that re-affirms the unchangeable truth that Heaven is
real. And when we get there, we would not like to leave anymore.
Recall that in our Gospel passage
yesterday, Jesus tell the disciples that anyone who wants to follow him must
deny himself and take up his or her cross. To deny oneself is to deliberately
choose not to be controlled by the flesh and it can be quite painful. When
Jesus took three of his closest disciples up to the Mountain and was
transfigured before them, he did so to strengthen their faith, to show them
that beyond the self-denials, beyond the tears, beyond the blood to be shared,
beyond the beatings, persecutions and agonies of the cross, there was something
beautiful, something resplendent, something so precious that was awaiting them
at the end of the day.
Having witnessed the Transfiguration,
Peter could then write boldly as we read in today’s second reading: “We did not
follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of
our Lord Jesus but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty…we ourselves heard
this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.” I
often hear people say, “after all, no one has gone to heaven and come back to
tell us how it is.” But that is exactly what Peter is saying here. He saw with
his own eyes and heard with his own ears! Heaven is not just a figment of
imagination.
The thought of heaven should come as
a motivation to keep us going in the right direction. We should from time to
time go to a quiet place to meditate on it and place ourselves in the presence
of God. This exercise would help us in taking our attention from this passing
world of pain where nothing lasts, nothing brings true happiness and nothing is
real. As Peter says, “You will do well to be attentive to it, as a lamp
shinning in a dark place…” Meditating about how you will be in heaven with the
Angels in glory is like lighting a lamp in a dark place.
Let us not wander about in the
darkness thinking this world as we see it is all there is to existence. Let us
not get discouraged when our faith demands that we make sacrifices or suffer
some losses because we know we are only on a journey and where we are going is
far more important than where we are coming from. Hold on, Heaven is real!
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, turn on the light for me.
Show me your glory like Daniel saw in our first reading, help me understand,
increase my devotion that in the midst of trials and persecution, my faith may
remain unshaken. Amen.
Good morning. Be Happy. Live
Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. Happy Weekend.
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