Feast of Transfiguration(Cycle A, Year I)
Community Word
The glory of God transforms our lives
Theme
We are transformed as we listen to Him.
Promise
“… all peoples see His glory.”(Ps. 97: 6b)
Reflection:
The Transfiguration is the turning point of Jesus as man when He experienced the manifestation of His glory, unveiling His fullness and greatness when He was affirmed by the Father as His beloved Son. Such heavenly recognition gave Him joy andstrength to be able to endure the cross that He would later embrace, and spurn the betrayal, rejection and shame thrown at Him. For the apostles Peter, James and John, it was an experience beyond awe. Jesus had exhorted them to be steadfast in their faith and fix their eyes on eternal life.
The mountain experience is given to all of us so that we might have the necessary grace and spiritual strength to face trials in life, leading us to share in the eternal glory of heaven. God promises to continue to mold us, change us amidst our frailties, brokenness and sinfulness. This is expressed in our community word for this month – The glory of God transforms our live.Transfiguration tells us that God is not only experienced in the high mountains of our life when all is well. He is sought even more by those who are burdened and lost, those who are neglected in community and in ourmission areas where there is much need for prayers.
Ignoring God’s presence in our hearts makes us spiritually weak; we become fearful and we withdraw from fully committing as followers of Christ. These limit us from developing our full potential. God appears in moments of greatest fear to instill faith and strength in our hearts with His encouraging words and helping hand. His love moves us and gives us courage to face problems in ourselves and in our relationships. Filled with faith, the only important thing is to know that Jesus has done the impossible for us. Jesus teaches us the Truth and by His grace, makes obedience to the commandments possible.
Our theme for this week is – We are transformed as we listen to Him.Peter’s faith at the time of the Transfigurationwas not perfect. Only after he suffered a great deal and learned the importance of listening to the voice in his heart that he became more aware of who he was. Then he was able to pass on to others his profound belief in God and his deep love for Jesus. We are like Peter in many ways. We are anxious over many things that we often forget “to listen to Him.” Let us contemplate on the importance of listening to our Lord Jesus Christ as we go through our daily routines and live our lives in accordance with His words.
The transfiguration event also shows us the value of retreating from our busyness to go to our“mountain” of rest, to pray and listen to Jesus. Our problems need not necessarily go away when we pray, but we know that after prayers our outlook and attitude towards the same world will be different because our hearts are being transformed. In our constant and persevering prayers we will discover that what matters is doing God’s will, not ours.
As we listen to the voice of God within us, calming and strengthening our spirits, we are also inspired by and reminded of the promise this week: “… all peoples see His glory,” (Ps 97:6b).
Prayer:
O loving Jesus, draw me close to You and allow me to see Your glory.Keep me always awake and alert to Your word, Will, and Your presence in my life. Keep me away from temptations and any occasion of sin that separates me from You, preventing me from being transformed into Your likeness. Let me give my life to You totally and without reserve. Let me call upon Your name forever. Amen.
Reflection Guides:
1. Are you ready and prepared to see God’s glory?
2. What do you do when trials and disappointments put you down making you spiritually blind and insensitive to everything that God has done to and for you?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
August 6, 2017(Sun) – 1Kgs 3:5, 7-12/Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77,127-128,129-130/Rom 8:28-30/Mt 13:44-52
August 7, 2017(Mon) – Ex 32:15-24, 30-34/Ps 106:19-23/Mt 13:31-35
August 8, 2017(Tues)- Ex 33:7-11; 34:5-9, 28/Ps 103:6-13/Mt 13:36-43
August 9, 2017(Wed) – Ex 34:29-35/Ps 99:5-7, 9/Mt 13:44-46
August 10,2017(Thur)- Ex 40:16-21, 34-38/Ps 84:3-6, 8, 11/Mt 13:47-53
August 11,2017 (Fri)- Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15, 16, 27, 34-37/Ps 81:3-6, 10, 11/Mt 13:54-58
August 12,2017(Sat)- Lv 25:1, 8-17/Ps 67:2, 3, 5, 7, 8/Mt 14:1-12
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
