Gospel Mt 17:9a, 10-13
As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
REFLECTION:
“… and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands."
The transfiguration of Jesus, a heavenly sight, had just occurred. Here we have Jesus and his disciples coming down the mountain, heading back to the “real” world. Their journey seems to lead them to a place far from heaven. It is a place where Jesus can gather the broken and forgotten to heal, mend, and restore. Let us keep in mind during our trials, the Son of God becomes more one with us with each healing. As our trials seem to overwhelm us and drag us down, Jesus strengthens us, giving us graces to overcome through prayer.
On our journey through life, we will experience the evils of this world, which cause us to suffer. We need to recognize these evils are not from God, for God can only give us good. Offering our sufferings up to God allows God to transform them into “good”. We can pray for God’s protection and turn everything over to Him. Over time, our relationship with God will be more intimate and trustworthy.
Unfortunately, in this “real” world, sometimes I don’t recognize Jesus in others. I believe this happens to all of us. Instead of dwelling on what others do to make us want to distance ourselves from them, we can look more closely to see if others see Jesus in us.
Let us pray the Our Father with heart-felt faith,
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen
