8/6/19 Cleverly devised myths.
2 Peter 1:16-19
Beloved:
We did not follow cleverly devised myths
when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received honor and glory from God the Father
when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory,
"This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased."
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
You will do well to be attentive to it,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
The Transfiguration is not a portion of the Gospel that I find easily accessible. This reading from 2 Peter does a good job of explaining why: the story of the Transfiguration is a small glimpse of the divine. It is “a lamp shining in a dark place,” promising our eventual participation in the eternal.
I have no reference point for glory. I have seen no burning bush, no mysterious clouds. This gift was given to those who would need it most, of whom most was asked. For a moment the curtain was pulled back and they peered into a greater world than ours. They heard the voice of the Father so that one day they could stand in public and shout the impossible ridiculousness of the Gospel without shame or fear or doubt.
I am discomforted when the logic behind a thing is hidden. When I converted, it wasn't the fact of Transubstantiation I wrestled with, it was the why of it. That same discomfort is present here, too. Why, Lord? Of what use is this?
The embarrassingly small sacrifice of my intellectual comfort is a constant in my walk with Christ. Perhaps the use of this mystery, for me, is simply to once again have the opportunity to exercise faith. Surrendering my need to understand to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit is a lesson in humility but also hope. St. Peter certainly promises that in this dark place of ours, the Transfiguration is a spark that promises a sun, and though I do not always understand, I believe.
Beloved:
We did not follow cleverly devised myths
when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received honor and glory from God the Father
when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory,
"This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased."
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
You will do well to be attentive to it,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
The Transfiguration is not a portion of the Gospel that I find easily accessible. This reading from 2 Peter does a good job of explaining why: the story of the Transfiguration is a small glimpse of the divine. It is “a lamp shining in a dark place,” promising our eventual participation in the eternal.
I have no reference point for glory. I have seen no burning bush, no mysterious clouds. This gift was given to those who would need it most, of whom most was asked. For a moment the curtain was pulled back and they peered into a greater world than ours. They heard the voice of the Father so that one day they could stand in public and shout the impossible ridiculousness of the Gospel without shame or fear or doubt.
I am discomforted when the logic behind a thing is hidden. When I converted, it wasn't the fact of Transubstantiation I wrestled with, it was the why of it. That same discomfort is present here, too. Why, Lord? Of what use is this?
The embarrassingly small sacrifice of my intellectual comfort is a constant in my walk with Christ. Perhaps the use of this mystery, for me, is simply to once again have the opportunity to exercise faith. Surrendering my need to understand to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit is a lesson in humility but also hope. St. Peter certainly promises that in this dark place of ours, the Transfiguration is a spark that promises a sun, and though I do not always understand, I believe.
Comments
Post a Comment