6 August 2014
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
The disciples were right to be afraid. In the presence of the bright cloud of God’s presence, blinded by the shining brilliance of Christ’s glory, Peter, James, and John had every reason to be afraid. It may be beneficial for us to dwell upon this reality for a while. It is not that Peter, James, and John think about it enough and realize that, no, God is a pretty cool guy and we don’t need to worry. Rather, Jesus comes to them as they are prostrate upon the ground, and in their humility lifts them up. This follows a common pattern in the Bible whenever one is in the presence of a theophany. Control is given over. Humanity recognizes that all it’s claims are relative to the powerful presence before it. Only then can it understand the true meaning of mercy. Mercy is a gift, completely unmerited, that one receives out of the compassion of another’s heart, particularly the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The grace of mercy cannot be grasped, for it comes from Jesus who would not even grasp what was rightfully His. Therefore, let us renew within our hearts the spirit of humility so that we can be properly disposed to receive the great gifts God offers us through His Beloved Son.