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Matthew 17:5 NLT
“But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.’
Yesterday we discovered that prayer provides an anchor in stormy seas. Today, I want us to reflect on the God encounter that takes place as we meditate upon him. Jesus, on one occasion, took Peter, James and John up a mountain and there, to their great astonishment, they saw Jesus transfigured along with Moses and Elijah, the great Old Testament prophets. If this wasn’t enough, they then heard God’s voice acknowledging Jesus as his Son and the One who is to be followed.
Unsurprisingly bewildered, the disciples fall down in worship and adoration before, Luke tells us, Peter (who else?) suggests he and the other two disciples build grottos for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. The purpose for God encounter may involve being lost in wonder, love and praise, yet it certainly is not intended that we either make that the priority or the destination.
Pope Francis, writing on the imperative of mission in Evangelii Gaudium, warns of the dangers when ‘the spiritual life comes to be identified with a few religious exercises which can offer a certain comfort but which do not encourage encounter with others, engagement with the world or a passion for evangelisation’. He concludes that if this is where prayer takes us, we cool in our fervour for the good news.
Our encounter with God is to empower us with a deeper love for God, most certainly. Yet, at the same time, it is also to deepen our compassion and love for our fellow humans and to provide a renewal of both vision and passion for the joyful witness to the good news that is the gospel of Jesus. As the disciples in those moments upon the mountain were invited to observe a deep personal encounter with the reality of Christ’s identity, it was for the purpose of deepening their own faith and strengthening their witness.
QUESTION: In what ways have you encountered Jesus?
PRAYER: Father of the nations, help me not be afraid to live for you wherever you put me or take me to today.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright C 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc, Wheaton, Illinois 60189 USA. All rights reserved.
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