Jesus takes them up the mountain (Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP)

God’s Word belongs to God.
Listen to him.
We do not own the truth.
The truth owns us.

    The Transfiguration is the retreat Jesus gives to his closest disciples before they embark on the first synod in the life of the Church, when they walk together (syn-hodos) to Jerusalem. This retreat was needed because they were afraid of this journey they must make together. Until now they have wandered around the north of Israel. But at Caesarea Philippi, Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ. Then Jesus invites them to go with him to Jerusalem, where he will suffer, die and be raised from the dead. They cannot accept this. Peter tries to prevent him. Jesus calls him ‘Satan’, ‘enemy’. The little community is paralysed. So Jesus takes them up the mountain. 

   This retreat gives them the courage and hope to set off on their journey. It does not always go well. They immediately fail to free the young lad from the evil spirit. They quarrel about who is the greatest. They misunderstand the Lord. But they are on their way with a fragile hope. 

--Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP 

Image source: Giovanni Bellini, The Transfiguration of Christ (ca. 1478-1479), https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/transfiguration-of-christ/IAEAQTF0ega6cA?hl=en&ms=%7B%22x%22%3A0.5%2C%22y%22%3A0.5%2C%22z%22%3A9.106882842623245%2C%22size%22%3A%7B%22width%22%3A2.0444398021884025%2C%22height%22%3A1.2375136977882655%7D%7D
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