Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36
About eight days after Jesus had said all this, he took Peter, John and James, and went up the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the aspect of his face was changed, and his clothing became dazzling white. Two men were talking with Jesus: Moses and Elijah. Appearing in the glory of heaven, Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus about his departure from this life, which was to take place in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had fallen asleep; but they awoke suddenly, and they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As Moses and Elijah were about to leave, Peter—not knowing what to say— said to Jesus, “Master, how good it is for us to be here! Let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” And no sooner had he spoken, than a cloud appeared and covered them; and the disciples were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then these words came from the cloud, “This is my Son, my Beloved, listen to him.” And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was there alone.
The disciples kept this to themselves at the time, telling no one of anything they had seen.
Reflections
“He went up the mountain to pray.”
Many things have already been said about prayer; and still, one could add more descriptions of it because experiences of prayer vary from one person to another. However, what is common to these experiences is that it opens up the mind and heart to a realm where one encounters the divine. Prayer puts us in touch with the power beyond us. It touches and engages our deepest concerns, freeing us from their grip and connecting us to the true source of joy and consolation. It sets a condition and prepares an individual to undergo transformation. In prayer we are given hope, shown direction, and gain courage and strength. Prayer not only help us connect to the joy, suffering and pain of our fellow humans; but it also allows us to feel, in a profound way, the “pain” and “suffering” of other forms of life on Earth, the voiceless creatures, that are subjected to destructive human behavior.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019
