Have you ever had an experience in your life where you have become profoundly aware of the presence of God? Perhaps it took place on a retreat, or during a time of prayer, or even in nature, while standing in awe of the beauty of God’s creation. If you’ve ever had an experience like this, you can probably relate to what Peter, James, and John experienced during the Transfiguration, which we read about in today’s Gospel.
These types of “mountaintop” experiences can help to strengthen our faith, and give us strength and confirmation in moments when we are seeking to know and understand the will of God. However, I think there is also a temptation to want to stay in that moment, and just bask in the glory of God’s presence. That’s precisely what motivates Peter to speak about building tents in the Gospel. Remember, the Transfiguration takes place right after Jesus predicts his passion and death. Because of that, Peter is likely thinking that if they can just stay on the mountain, they can avoid the pain and suffering that Jesus was just talking about!
Eventually, though, we do have to leave the “mountaintop” and return to ordinary life. As we do, our challenge is to ask ourselves how we can carry the memory of those profound encounters of God with us, so that they can continue to inspire and motivate us in the moments that we are not so keenly aware of God’s presence. How can we allow our experience of God’s presence to guide us through the difficult times of our lives, and help us to remain faithful to God’s call to seek his will in all things? In our second reading, we see how St. Peter himself carried the experience of the Transfiguration with him, by remembering the message that was spoken from the cloud. Remembering this message sustained him through the pain of Christ’s passion and death, and enabled him to preach the truth of the resurrection after he had encountered the risen Lord.
We are privileged to be able to encounter the Lord each time we receive Him in the Eucharist. Even though receiving the Eucharist may not always feel like a profound experience, our challenge is to allow the grace we receive through this Sacrament to permeate our lives, and lead us to proclaim the Good News to those we meet. May we allow the Lord to strengthen us as we seek to fulfill our mission as his Disciples.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Steven Huber, CSB