February 11, 2018 Mark 9:7-9
“Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’” vs. 7
Mark seems to indicate that whatever the transfiguration experience meant for Jesus, it was equally transforming for the disciples. For Jesus, there is a consult with Moses and Elijah, representing the law and prophets from Israel’s history. Presumably it was verification of his ministry, a sign that he was on the right path. But for the disciples it’s a meeting with God! And it takes place in a cloud! Somehow that seems appropriate. At best, our God-encounters are obscure and mysterious…and it’s virtually impossible to see God, even when God is near. But in the cloud, the disciples heard the voice of God–it was so clear to them–and it was virtually the same message that Jesus had heard in his baptism, “This is my Son, the Beloved,” with one addendum that was just for them, “Listen to him!” What a word of direction for us when we’re grappling with uncertainty and struggling to orient ourselves in the complexities of our cloudy existence! Confused? Don’t worry, just listen to Jesus. In him is the way to eternal life. In his words we have our own personal GPS, and get divine guidance for our baptismal mission to work for justice and peace in the entire world. We may not always be that sure about God, but we can always be confident that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Thought for the Day: How can life get us disoriented?
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