Shining our light as Jesus did during the Transfiguration
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View from Mount Tabor
We should strive to shine our light for others as Jesus did during the Transfiguration.
Lately during my morning prayers I have been praying more and more to the Holy Spirit. I ask him to fill my mind so that I may have thoughts pleasing to God, fill my mouth so I may speak God’s word with clarity, fill my heart so that my love for God will burn like a flame, and fill my entire soul and being so that I may shine God’s light. I find the visualization of shining our light powerful as a way to help us bring glory to God by who we are and what we do. Have you ever been in the presence of people filled with the Holy Spirit that fill the room with light, love and kindness before they even say a word.
In Jesus’ time people climbed mountains or hills to experience powerful experiences with God. In Mark 9 we read about Jesus taking his preferred apostles Peter, James, and John to a high mountain to pray. He then “… was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.” Elijah and Moses also appeared and then a cloud overshadowed them and God said “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”
We had the opportunity to drive up to Mount Tabor in Israel a year ago (it is believed to be the site of the Transfiguration), and it was a steep climb to the 1,800 ft tall peak. Jesus and the apostles were definitely in good shape. Once on top there was such a peaceful and holy presence. We had mass there. It’s a beautiful place with a beautiful view. Add to this that Jesus was revealing a glimpse of his divine splendor and it’s no wonder Peter wanted to set up tents and stay there. A week or so before this event, Jesus was explaining to the apostles that he needed to suffer, die, and then raise again. The Transfiguration foretold the glory of Jesus as God after the resurrection and helped them start to comprehend his divine nature.
For us now looking back, the Transfiguration gives us a taste of what heaven will be like with the beatific vision of God and his indescribably beautiful radiant light. Like Jesus, we should also strive to shine our divine light, however imperfect. If we have any self doubt we just need to remember Jesus’ promise. Through participation in the Holy Eucharist Jesus will abide in us and we will abide in him. This sanctifying grace will help us shine Jesus’ light on others by first uniting with him in contemplation and then acting on his presence in us through our thoughts, words, actions, and even our silent presence. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
“We all need to go apart, to ascend the mountain in a space of silence, to find ourselves and better perceive the voice of the Lord. This we do in prayer. But we cannot stay there! Encounter with God in prayer inspires us anew to “descend the mountain” and return to the plain where we meet many brothers weighed down by fatigue, sickness, injustice, ignorance, poverty both material and spiritual. To these brothers in difficulty, we are called to bear the fruit of that experience with God, by sharing the grace we have received. It is a mission for the whole Church, for all the baptized, for us all: listen to Jesus and offer him to others.”
