Dazzling (Vivian Cabrera)

   The Gospel [this past weekend] tells the story of the Transfiguration, a literal encounter with God. This was so powerful, so marvelous, so wonderful and so… terrifying, that it was only shared with a precious few. Jesus takes his disciples Peter, John, and James up to the mountain to pray and reveals himself to be the Son of God. His face changes in appearance and his clothes become dazzling white. Elijah and Moses appear alongside him, speaking of what was yet to come. Peter then says, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying, Luke’s Gospel tells us. Luke continues: "While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.” 

   Here I want to note a key difference between the disciples and me. While they stayed and faced this unknowing, even though they were afraid, I don’t know if I could have done the same. I want to believe I could have but my lived experiences tell me otherwise. It always feels like something terrible is going to happen right before God reveals himself to us. And why do we feel the urge to want to run away? What can I do to make me stay? The answer lies in what the Gospel says: This is my Son, listen to him. 

   Our hearts can tell us what our minds can’t comprehend. They urge us to stay.  [Today], let us sit in the certainty of what our hearts tell us, these hearts that were created by God, for God. Let us cry out what the psalmist says: "Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call; have pity on me and answer me. Of you my heart speaks, you my glance seeks." It’s up to us to stay and wait… long enough to let the Lord show up and speak. 

--Vivian Cabrera 

Image source: Ivanka Demchuk (Ukraine), Transfiguration, icon, available for purchase at:  
https://www.etsy.com/listing/564592023/transfiguration-original-print-on?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_ps-a-art_and_collectibles-prints-digital_prints&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQjwrMKmBhCJARIsAHuEAPTgq8r5ua81vSB7oKJYmB-ajHAbdFaTVmvigZffXYTQKuPBxQ1Lx7gaAjVNEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_12565614185_119519592917_507187203534_pla-328046931108_c__564592023_127427842&utm_custom2=12565614185&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrMKmBhCJARIsAHuEAPTgq8r5ua81vSB7oKJYmB-ajHAbdFaTVmvigZffXYTQKuPBxQ1Lx7gaAjVNEALw_wcB
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