In the gospel today we have Mark's account of the event known as the TRANSFIGURATION. Jesus takes his friends Peter, James, and John on a hike. Last week we saw a Jesus alone in the desert before doing his duty in proclaiming a gospel of unconditional love. This week he is with friends in another type of wilderness. At the top of the mountain, the three friends were able to see Jesus in a whole new light, as 'his face shone like the sun'. Traditionally, the Hebrew people went up the mountain in order to be closer to God—Moses, for example, received the Torah on top of Sinai. On the mountain Moses is once again seen with Jesus, along with great prophet Elijah. In this total transformation Jesus is seen with the two great anchors of the Jewish faith: law and prophecy. The chosen disciples see Jesus in glory and recognise the way forward in a prophetic application of rules. It was as if Jesus was giving them a taster of what was to come. In the midst of pain and suffering, especially on the Way of the Cross and at Golgotha, we can forget the bigger picture—the glory of resurrection. This event helps us too in our daily living, as Archbishop Tutu reminds us:

"God places us in the world as his fellow workers-agents of transfiguration. We work with God so that injustice is transfigured into justice, so there will be more compassion and caring, that there will be more laughter and joy, that there will be more togetherness in God's world."

The voice of God urges the disciples to 'listen to him'; this is our call too: how are we going to listen to God during this coming week? The sad political circus that we have seen in recent years has certainly helped me to support an open and honest discussion about who do people LISTEN—to and where do they get their sources of news. As my Nana told us when we were trying to pass the blame on to another, "if they told you to jump off the roof would you do it?" The insurrectionists at the Capitol, or those who partied through Covid-lockdowns, can blame others for the violence, destruction, and death, but there comes a time when they must accept personal responsibility for their actions. Words do count and the more responsibility we have, the more important it is to think about the power of the words we use. Modern news coverage has, in my opinion, sadly morphed into an exchange of views. I can choose the newspaper or cable news service that backs up my own political views—I need not be challenged or be forced to listen to opposing points of view. Pope Francis points to the need for really listening:

We listen to so many things throughout the day, so many things... But I ask you a question: do we take a little time each day to listen to Jesus, to listen to Jesus' word? Do we have the Gospels at home? And do we listen to Jesus each day in the Gospel? (16/03/2014)

Peter was so keen to listen to that prophetic and life-giving message of Jesus that he wanted to stay on top of the mountain and enjoy that wonderful feeling of being with Jesus. However, Jesus leads them down from the mountain: glory gives way to the ordinary. I suspect that is the reality for most of us—we have moments of intense joy, and times of hurt, betrayal and pain. Most of the time we are trying to deal with the ordinary: are the children safe? Have I got enough food in for supper tonight? When does that report need to be on my boss's desk? The truth is that Jesus walks with us in the transfiguration experiences of life, in those moments of extreme joy; Jesus also walks with us in the problems and heartaches of life, and Jesus walks with us through the ordinary of life. Are we prepared to walk with him and to listen to his voice during this coming week especially? St Paul reminds us:

I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. (2 Cor 6:16)

In the final moment on the mountain the disciples 'looked around and saw nobody with him anymore, only Jesus'. The moment of life-giving light is over: redemption remains to be worked out in everyday existence, problems and difficulties that will not go away; satisfactions and heartaches, taken for granted familiarities, and special times of mutual recognition, expectations and uncertainties, temptations, times of trial and moments of deep pain. However, through it all there is a realisation that humanity can suffer abject humiliation and be open to glorious transfiguration too. As the experience of COVID has shown us, we all experience deep pain and intense joy. It might be wonderful to live on the 'mountain tops' of life, but reality calls us to live the incarnation, no matter how difficult it can be. I pray that this blessing of the Irish mystic, John O'Donohue be especially yours on this day of transformation and challenge:

May you know tender shelter and healing blessing
when you are called to stand in the place of pain.
May the places of darkness within you be surprised by light.
May you be granted the wisdom to avoid false resistance and
when suffering knocks on the door of your life, may you be able to glimpse its hidden gift.

May you be able to see the fruits of suffering.
May memory bless and shelter you with the hard-earned light of past turmoil,
to remind you that you have survived before,
And though the darkness is now deep,
You will soon see approaching light.

May this give you confidence and trust.
May a window of light always surprise you.
May the grace of transfiguration heal your wounds.

Author: Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB
Photo by Alireza Attari on Unsplash