No Cross, No Crown

03-13-2022Weekly ReflectionFr. Anthony Okolo, C.S.Sp

Today’s gospel presents us with the account of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus. The account of the Transfiguration appeared in the three synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Each time we see an event in the Bible recorded in the three synoptic Gospels it points to the fact that those particular incidents actually happened in reality. That is to say that Our Lord Jesus was transfigured and His glory shown in greatness on the mountain while He was with His three chosen disciples. The reading says that Jesus took Peter, James and John to the mountain to pray and as He was praying, He was transfigured before them. This particular incident happened or took place over 8 days, according to Luke’s account, after Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah. The other two Gospels said it was after 6 days. The difference in the number of days after the confession that happened is not a major concern because the Gospel writers were not writing chronological history.

After Peter’s declaration that Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus told him that “the Son of Man would suffer in the hands of the scribes and religious leaders, that He would be rejected, persecuted and later be put to death”. This was shocking to Peter who took Jesus by the side and told Him, “You should not say such a thing, it can’t happen to You” and Jesus told Peter “get behind me Satan”. At this point, Peter felt very bad: What kind of Messiah dies like a common criminal? What is the point of following Him then? Why leave everything to follow Him? Is this all there is? In a way there is a kind of doubt why they should leave everything to follow someone who would die like a common criminal.

They needed some reassurance and Jesus did not let them down. It was after this incident that Jesus took them up to the mountain for the transfiguration experience. They saw His Glory and His transformation and the voice of the Father confirming that indeed He is the Chosen One. This greatly boosted their morale, and gave them hope that they are on the right track. Jesus wanted to teach the apostles and all of us that before we experience any glory we must pass through the cross. That’s why, we cannot have Easter Sunday without Good Friday. Each one of us will experience our own Good Friday before we can rise with Christ on Easter. Cross, suffering, persecution are parts and parcel of our Christian journey and unless we are able to pass through it, we cannot experience the glory of the transfiguration. There are times in our lives when looking at our circumstances, we wonder in frustration like the disciples. Is this all there is? But the transfiguration experience demonstrates that if we can rise above our set and myopic view of life, we can see the broader picture which holds much more promise from life experiences.

Seen in the light of our limited and distorted human vision, people and things around us may look hopeless, common and sometimes different and repulsive. If we focus narrowly on the unpleasant experiences of yesterday, we may lose their positive implication for today and tomorrow. Sometimes it is not until much later in life that we come to the purpose of events of our lives and how they all fit together. It is then that we realize how God works through such events to prepare us for the future.

The Gospel says that as He was praying His face changed in appearance and His clothes became dazzling white. The apostles saw His Glory and the two men standing with Him and a confirming voice that Jesus is the Lord and Master. This is almost the same encounter during His baptism, while He was praying, the heavens open and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove came down upon Him and a voice from heaven said, “this is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” This is proof to us that when we are in prayer, the heaven will open for us, we will experience the Glory of God, and things will change in our lives and situation, thus there will be transformation and we will hear the voice of the Lord. Let us learn to give more attention to prayers in our lives that the heavens may always be opened for us to experience the Glory of God.

Happy Second Sunday of Lent to you all.

Fr. Tony Okolo