Scripture
Jesus took with him Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain…. [I]n their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white. … Peter spoke to Jesus ‘Rabbi it is wonderful for us to be here. Let us build three tents…he did not know what to say they were so frightened. A cloud came, covering them and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my beloved Son, listen to him’. Then suddenly when they looked round, they saw no one with them anymore but only Jesus. (Mark 9: 2-10).
“Jesus led them up a high mountain”. Photo credit: Haydyn Bromley, www.flicker.com
Reflection
We need to change ourselves first.
The Gospel writer, with the description of the high mountain and the clouds that biblical tradition always associates with the presence of God, has Peter and the other two disciples experiencing Jesus, whom they thought they knew and understood, in a way not ever seen before. Peter fails to grasp the significance of the event and indeed tries to hold onto the experience (‘It is good for us to be here’) and retain the vision (‘Let us build three tents’). He especially had definite ideas on what he wanted for Jesus and, by association, for himself!
Like Peter we too struggle with the idea of finding or seeing God in the ordinary. Much better if God is grandiose and ‘out there’ a little way! But this is the challenge of the Incarnation. Often times we want God close but not too close! It means we may have to move God out of the box we‘ve created for God and change our views on a whole range of issues and especially in our attitude to certain people. It’s not a new message. To really see God in the ordinary, and in ways unfamiliar - and to really believe it - means discerning what it is we need to change in ourselves first.
Prayer
Let’s go up the mountain.
Let’s go up to the place where the land meets the sky
where the earth touches the heavens,
to the place of meeting,
to the place of mists,
to the place of voices and conversations,
to the place of listening.
We open our eyes and we see mist,
the cloud of your presence
which assures us of all we do not know
and that we do not need to fear that.
Teach us to trust.
We open our eyes and we see Peter’s constructions,
his best plans, our best plans,
our missing the point,
our missing the way.
Forgive our foolishness and sin.
We open our eyes and we see Jesus,
not casting us off,
but leading us down, leading us out -
to ministry, to people.
Your love endures forever.
We open our ears and we hear your voice,
‘This is my beloved Son, listen to him!’
And we give you thanks.
Amen
We thank William Loader for the prayer: http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/TransfigurationPrayer.htm
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