By Aloisius Stephen
In this Sunday’s gospel, we read about how Peter, James and John witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus. There on the high mountain, Jesus’ glory manifested in the presence of His loving Father. But what exactly does this mean for us? In moments where we are no longer on the mountain, close to the presence of our living God, how can we continue to be steadfast in the journey?
Oftentimes, we may let external events dictate our feelings and actions, and even define our identities. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your day is going so smoothly, you can’t help but smile and feel happy? Then an unkind act or an unwanted remark from someone comes along, and that’s all it takes for you to feel miserable. We can be quickly subsumed by the immediate situations and emotions that we face. Just like the reflective surface of water, we end up becoming a mere reflection of our circumstances, and labels that others place on us. Yet, our true selves, much like the depths beneath the water’s surface, remain hidden and stifled.
Lent is an invitation by our God to dive beneath the exterior, and into the interior of our lives. As Pope Francis wonderfully says it in his homily on Ash Wednesday, God calls us to journey “from without to within, so that our whole life, including our relationship with God, is not reduced to mere outward show, a frame without a picture, a draping of the soul, but is born from within and reflects the movements of our heart, our deepest desires, our thoughts, our feelings, the very core of our person”. He goes on to point out that in “our inner chamber: there the Lord dwells, there our frailty is accepted and we are loved unconditionally.”. There He is waiting to embrace us and tenderly remind us of our belovedness. Through this unconditional embrace of love, we will find freedom. Freedom from our self-judgement and condemnation, our fears and insecurities, and the voices of this world.
How can we make this journey from without to within?
It begins with the simple act of recognising and listening out for His voice. Just as God appeared on the mountain, saying “this is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to Him.” (Mark 9:7). His voice can be found in ordinary moments: an encouraging word from a colleague, a conversation with a friend that helped to bring His light into an area of darkness. In the busyness of our lives, it is easy to miss His presence and voice. We need to learn to slow down and make time for silence, giving the space for God to speak to us. We need to strive to be consistent in building this space within ourselves for God, to allow our hearts to grow attuned to His presence. As we start to recognise Him in the smallest of moments, we will eventually begin to see His grace unfolding more and more in our lives.
Most importantly, we need to remember that the journey is lovingly directed by God, and we need to rely on His divine grace. Just as the disciples were, at first, overcome by fear on the top of that mountain, we too may find ourselves overwhelmed by many situations in our lives. In our anxieties, uncertainties, doubts, we can lose sight of the Lord and the promise of His hope. Yet, Jesus comes to touch us, as He had touched the disciples. He invites us to get up, to not be afraid, and turn our gazes towards Him. (Matthew 17:6-7)
Perhaps, we’ve grown used to expecting God to show up in certain ways for us. We limit him to the situations where we can easily recognise Him. Yet, we’re invited to go deeper, and to look past the circumstances. For whether it’s on the mountain top where we are close to Him, or down in the valley below, the Lord is constantly by our side. He invites us to trust that He is paving the way. We can ask, seek and knock (Matthew 7:7-12) and He will already be there, providing us with all the graces necessary. When we are unsure, we can rely on the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, to enlighten our minds and hearts.
As we continue on this Lenten journey, let us be reminded and transformed by the hope found in the transfigured Lord. May we keep our gazes on Him, whether He feels close to us or not, and continue to cooperate with grace. In cooperating with Him, we will find the freedom to live and act in a way that is free from pride and self-centred desires; to move and speak in charity and love. May our every action and word become our prayers to the Lord!
