“And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them, and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is a good thing that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is my beloved Son; listen to him.’ And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only.” (Mk 9: 2-8)
As those of us on the Older Calendar celebrate the great feast of Transfiguration this Wednesday, I’m thinking about St. Peter’s selfless, albeit silly, concern for providing “booths” to shelter the Lord, Elijah and Moses, – but not himself or his fellow-apostles James and John. I’m thinking, when we are visited by the grace of God; when God humbles us with a really “good thing” in our lives, – and we realize it is not from “us” but from Him, – we become particularly capable of self-offering, in our gratitude.
Today let me open my eyes and heart to the “good thing” that is God’s grace, which helps me grow in service and usefulness to others, rather than focus on “the good things” of this world in a grace-less or ungrateful manner. Lord, help me to receive from You, rather than to accumulate for myself, the “good things” in my life, that they may be transfigurative revelations of You and Your Self-offering in my world.
