1. Introductory prayer:
Jesus, you invite me to let go of my ideas of how something should be, and be silent and watch. You in the glory of the resurrection, which gives meaning to suffering – also my. You invite me to freedom. Please take me with you on the mountain to where leads the arduous path, but it’s the only one which takes me to the light of the resurrection.
2. Reading – Listening: The Gospel according to Matthew 17:1-9 – Transfiguration of Jesus
1After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
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3. Thoughts on the Gospel
Today’s Gospel transfiguration of Jesus invites us in a posture of obedience.
Jesus took three disciples with him on the high mountain and transfigured in front of them. “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light… and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Listen to Jesus, my Son, says the Father to the disciples. Why these words right here?
Jesus decided before this event to go to Jerusalem. He began to speak, he will have to suffer, be killed, and after three days rise again. Disciples did not understand why all of this, Peter even started to forbid Him.
Until now, disciples almost enjoyed and had pleasant times with Jesus. Crowds followed him, he became more and more famous and celebrated and of course some of the glory fell on the disciples. Now he wants to go into suffering and they want to resist.
They are afraid; they start to question the words of their Master. “If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me,” he told them. Will they trust this word? Who is he, who should they follow in suffering? It is worth to trust Him? To this question, answers the Father: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” That is to say, do not be afraid, his word is trustworthy. You will go through the ordeals with Him. You will see no glory or greatness on Jesus. However, listen to him and trust him. Be like Abraham!
The problem was that they saw only suffering and death. Jesus also spoke of the resurrection, but they did not want to hear it. A man in a test sees everything dark, no hope, and no way out. That is why Jesus on the Mount gave the three students to see some of his glory that will be revealed to all after the resurrection. It was a foretaste of the resurrection.
They are enlightened to be able to watch the Easter events with different eyes. For a moment, they could see Jesus’ life as a whole. However, the disciples did not understand much. In the hour of trial of Jesus’ suffering, they will leave, deny and betray him. Only after the resurrection, they will finally trust and believe. Light of the Resurrection will always be in them. They will not only listen to God’s word, but they will even preach it throughout the world.
We too often find ourselves in a test, when it’s all dark and we cannot see the exit. There are times when it is difficult to trust and believe in the word of God. Then we need the light of Christ to enlighten us and give us a revelation. So our view expands, we do not see only suffering and death, but also the resurrection. Belief in Jesus’ resurrection helps us to take the cross after the Lord.
4. Meditation – thinking
About everything I have read and what has touched me, I am thinking now. I let my thoughts also touch my heart. Think:
- Jesus invites me to let go and he will do the rest. What should I let go, to leave more space for what God will do?
- Jesus touched the disciples to be able to cope with everything. He touches me too. Where do I want and look for Jesus’ touch, to be able to rise and see?
- God the Father is inviting me to be silent and listen to Jesus, and to let him do his work even when I do not know where and how.
- In this week, I practice how to say everything to Jesus for all that stops, worries, fears, doubts me, when I concentrate on my work and it is all different. I can utter only a short sentence, immediately or at the end of the day, or talk with Him.
5. Personal Prayer
In the next moments of silence, I talk about of this with Jesus. I tell him what I think, what I feel, what I want. I ask him for the grace that I need for … (make your conversation with God)
6. Contemplation – Quiet moment with God
Now I let silence to be in me. I am simply present in God, as He is quietly present in me.
Perhaps from this silence I hear God’s speech, which invites me perhaps in thanksgiving and worship, or to open myself and accept him in my path life and work, maybe He gives me the courage to continue searching for…
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7. Action
When I walk into a personal relationship with God, he changes me, makes me more loving and encourages me to the concrete action, which is….. (write down your insights for concrete action)
8. Prayer at the end
When I do not know what I should do, I start to babble. Jesus, you say, I should listen, watch and let go. You are asking me into the relationship of freedom, where I take also the responsibility. You know, only such relationship makes me alive. Lord, thank you that you teach me how to trust.
9. Review of my prayer meditation or reflection
This is my view on what was happening in me at the time, I spent praying. In my reflection, I can help myself with the following questions:
- How was I feeling when I started praying?
- What happened during the prayer?
- What feelings and thoughts could I detect in myself?
- How did I feel at the revelations, which I had during my prayer?
- What did I learn about myself, about God, about his attitude towards me and others and me to him and others?
- How did I finish my prayer?
- What did I receive for my everyday life?
- In the end, I can write the lessons, findings and insights. I can write also, where I had problems, they may have great value in learning about my relationship and myself with God. They can also help to find a more appropriate way of prayer for me.
- Then I thank the Holy Trinity. If I pray with my family or in the community, friends, I can share with them what I felt in this prayer. By prayer for one another, you can support yourself throughout the week.
Lectio divina meditations are published and adapted with permission from the Jesuits home – ignacijevdom.si.