“Rise and be not afraid!”
The disciples are overwhelmed when they hear the voice from heaven proclaiming, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased, listen to him.” They fall down prostrate and understandably are in fear. Jesus’ response is to come to them, to touch them, and to reassure them.
When we take time to ‘go up the mountain’ with Jesus, take time to remove ourselves from our usual activities and concerns, and spend time with Jesus, and with those to whom we are close, feelings of awe are quickly felt. For in taking time to be with Jesus, we come to a new appreciation of the life we are living, and his presence.
In this Transfiguration scene Moses and Eijah, representing the Law and the Prophets appear. When we go up the mountain with Jesus, those who have been important in our lives will also often appear in our hearts and minds. The words they spoke, their place in our lives at different times.
In Lent the call to pray, to go up the mountain with Jesus, is profound. When we strengthen our habit of listening to Jesus, we ensure that in all the ups and downs of life, our response to these various situations which present themselves are fed, and informed by Jesus, the Word of God.
The disciples fell prostrate in this overwhelming moment in their lives. No doubt we all have moments when times become rather overwhelming. When before our eyes there are many concerns in regards the people in our lives, our work, our financial situations, and all number of worries. At such times it may seem there is no time to go up the mountain with Jesus. And yet at such moments it becomes even more essential to do so, for it will be then that Jesus can come to us, touch us, and reassure us. When we are bowed down, or flattened we can hear him say to us, “Rise; be not afraid, I am here.” And as we raise our eyes, and he helps us to stand again, we will see, recognise, feel and know that indeed there in the midst of all that is happening, Jesus is present.
With prayers on the journey, Patrick
