Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Feast of di Transfiguration of di Lord
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Then Peter answer Jesus say, “Rabbi, e good say we dey here! Make we build three tents: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” E hardly know wetin to talk, because fear catch all of dem well-well. Then cloud come cover dem with im shadow; one voice come from inside di cloud say, “Dis na My beloved Son. Make una listen to Him.” Mark 9:5–7
Just before di Transfiguration, Jesus begin reveal to His disciples say He go suffer well-well, di elders go reject Him, dem go kill Him, and He go rise again on di third day. Dis one make di disciples fear well-well as dem struggle to understand dis revelation from our Lord wey trouble their mind. And even though Jesus stand firm with dem and even rebuke Peter because of im fear, Jesus still give three of His disciples one very precious gift.
After plenty journey, preaching, miracles and private talks with di Twelve about His Passion, Jesus invite Peter, James and John to follow Him climb one high mountain to pray. Most likely, dese disciples no know wetin dem go soon experience. As dem dey make di difficult journey wey tire person well-well, dem must don dey think deeply, no be only about di mighty things wey Jesus do for di months before, but also about wetin He talk concerning di suffering wey dey come. As dem dey struggle with dis matter, something amaze dem well-well: Jesus “appearance change for glory before dem, and His clothes become white wey dey shine well-well.” Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appear before dem, to represent di Law and di prophets. Dese two people from di Old Testament appear as one way to tell dese disciples say everything wey Jesus dey tell dem must happen, to fulfil all wetin dem don foretell about Him since long ago. Maybe Jesus think say if His disciples no go listen to Him fully, to see Moses and Elijah go help dem. But Jesus do even more. Di Voice of di Father Himself sound like thunder and talk say, “Dis na My beloved Son. Make una listen to Him.” So, if dese disciples still no go listen to Jesus alone, or if even Moses and Elijah no fit convince dem, then di last hope na di Father Himself. And Jesus give dem dis kind grace.
Di Transfiguration na true act of mercy. Dese disciples never see anything like am before. But most likely, na dis act of mercy later help dem accept di hard truth wey Jesus dey try teach dem about His suffering and death wey dey come. If di Father for Heaven Himself testify about Jesus, then dem fit trust everything wey Jesus don talk.
As we dey read di Gospels and di plenty teachings wey God don give us through di Church, think whether some teachings dey wey you dey struggle to accept. Or for your own personal life, some things dey wey you know say God want from you, but you dey find am hard to accept? When confusion enter, e mean say we no dey listen, we no dey hear fully wetin God dey tell us, or we no dey understand. And even though we no go see di Lord wey His appearance change for glory with our own eyes, or hear di Voice of di Father with our own ears as dese three disciples do, we must choose to believe everything wey God don talk, just as if na di Lord wey His appearance change for glory, together with Moses and Elijah, and di Father Himself dey speak clearly and directly to us. “Dis na My beloved Son. Make una listen to Him.” Dem no talk dose words only for di good of di disciples; dem still dey speak dem to us.
Today, think deeply about dis powerful experience wey our Lord give dese disciples. Try imagine say you dey there, so you go witness Jesus as His appearance change for di most glorious way, with Moses and Elijah there and di Voice of di Father wey sound like thunder. Allow di Father to speak to you too, to tell you say everything wey He don speak through di Scriptures, di Church and inside your own conscience na true. Allow dis revelation to convince you deep inside your heart, so you go no only acknowledge say Jesus na God, but also “Listen to Him” for every way.
My Lord wey Your appearance change for glory, Your glory pass wetin anybody fit imagine, and You show Your disciples small part of dis glory to help dem trust You more fully. Make I too trust You more completely, as I know say everything wey You don tell me na true. Abeg, remove every doubt and fear for my life, so nothing go stop me from accepting Your holy will with all my heart. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Feast for Today – Transfiguration of di Lord
Di main picture for up: Transfiguration wey Duccio di Buoninsegna paint, through Wikimedia Commons
