Reflections from the February 21 Gospel
Luke 9:28b-36
Today’s Gospel records the event we call the Transfiguration of the Lord. In this miraculous moment, Jesus’ divine nature was revealed clearly to Peter, James, and John. They were able to witness this revelation of Jesus only because they were “fully awake.” Had they stayed sleeping, they would have missed out. It’s an obvious point but one that may need more attention than we’d care to admit. Of course we have to be “awake” in order to absorb the fullness of our faith. If we are not tuned in, not attentive, not exerting any effort, then we are certainly going to miss out. But the fact is that we don’t always realize we are falling asleep.
Just as Peter, James, and John were “overcome” with sleep, we too can slip into this state—spiritually speaking, we can become numb or lazy and slowly fade away from the fervor of authentic faith. This is why the church, in her wisdom, gives us the season of Lent. This is the time to refocus, to clear away the cobwebs, and to become “fully awake.” Ultimately, we pray that these efforts will allow us to truly see “his glory” come Eastertide.
Questions of the Week
Luke 9:28b-36:
What distracts you from listening
to Jesus?
Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18:
What do you find most puzzling about the encounter between God and Abraham?
Philippians 3:17—4:1:
Paul warns against being occupied with “earthly things.” How do you avoid that trap?