Whose Voice Are You Listening To?

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Today’s Gospel passage (Matthew 17:1-9) was also read on the Second Sunday of Lent, but today, it is presented to us in a different context. Why? Because the actual event contained in this gospel passage— the Transfiguration of the Lord,  is what we are  celebrating today. The story begins with Jesus taking three of his disciples— Peter, James and his brother, John to a high mountain, and right before them, he was transfigured. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling and brilliant as light. But before the disciples realized what was going on, two great figures of the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah appeared to them and began to discuss with Jesus. Moses was the supreme law-giver of Israel; the one who received the Ten Commandments. Elijah was regarded by many as the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. He was seen as the prophet who brought the very voice of God to his people. In Jesus, Moses and Elijah saw the consummation of all that they hoped, longed for and looked forward to. 

What do you think the three disciples were doing as these things were happening? Look at it this way! Their master who took them to the mountain has suddenly changed in appearance and two strange persons who were not originally part of the team have suddenly appeared and overtook their hanging out time with Jesus. What do you think was going on in the minds of the disciples? I guess they were speechless, terrified and dumbfounded. But they didn’t remain in a state of shock and awe for too long before the impetuous Peter jumped right in and ended their speechless bewilderment with these words: “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” St. Luke’s account of the Transfiguration has an interesting additional comment about Peter. After stating Peter’s request to make three tents, the Evangelist added, “He did not know what he was saying.” Well, as Peter was saying something he did not know, Someone said something he knows perfectly, something that is true and indisputable: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Those are the words of the Father. They are words of testimony and confirmation. The Father knew what he was saying. He was telling Peter, James, John, me, you, all of us that Jesus is his Son, and that if we know what is good for us, then we should and must listen to him. The appearance of Moses and Elijah did confirm that Jesus is the Messiah, but their confirmation wouldn’t have been powerful enough without that of the Father. So, from the cloud, the Father revealed/confirmed loud and clear the true identity of Jesus and that salvation is possible only by listening to him.

In the Old Testament, to hear and obey God’s Word was the identifying mark of a genuine response to God. In the Transfiguration story, the Father is urging all disciples of his Son to listen to his Son’s teaching found in his words, actions, and in the self-giving death he will later accept. What are those teachings? Let’s examine some of them.

Jesus taught he came to save people from all walks of life: “I have come that you may have life, life in abundance” (John 10:10). To be saved therefore, repentance is needed.  According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus began his earthly ministry with the message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (4:17). The call to repent is a call to abandon sin because sin hurts. It takes away our peace and joy. It cuts us off from life and dries up within us the very source of our freedom and dignity. Once we let go of our old sinful ways and surrender to Jesus totally, listening to him becomes a delight and pleasure. With the story of Zacchaeus the rich tax collector, Jesus teaches that God does not despise anyone who repents of his or her sin and returns to God because “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Jesus also taught that the way to God is primarily by faith, but faith in God must be demonstrated in doing what is good. In John 14:1 he says, “Have faith in God and have faith also in me.” And in John 14:15, he said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” About what should be our greatest pursuit in life, Jesus said, “Seek you first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33) and “Store up your treasure in heaven where moths and rust do not destroy and where robbers do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). Money is useful but it can potentially turn someone away from God. Jesus told the young rich man in Mark 10 to sell everything he had, give the money to the poor and then follow him, not because charity alone makes one righteous but because Jesus knew that the young man’s god was money. Jesus wanted to set him free from his false god. About how we should live among ourselves, Jesus said, “And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35). How did Jesus love us? Take a look at the cross! In this command, Jesus calls us to love selflessly and sacrificially, to love until it hurts, to love without counting the cost, to love even when it is very difficult to do so. Of cause, none of us will be able to do this without him who called us to live this way. As the branches of the true Vine, we can only bear fruits of sacrificial love if we remain in him because “Cut off from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5b). What about prayer? Jesus said we should pray always and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). What about the poor among us? Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do unto me” (Matthew 25:40).What about the greatest gift of himself? Jesus said, “Amen, Amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (John 6:53). What about forgiveness? Jesus said, “When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions” (Mark 11:25).

Brothers and sisters, it is impossible to be a faithful and fruitful disciple without listening and obeying Jesus. As we listen to him, our human nature is transformed into the likeness of his divine nature. As we listen to him, we become more and more like the One we are listening to. We become more transformed and transfigured, and our lives will definitely radiate and reflect the glory of the Lord. 

I leave you with this question: Whose voice are you listening to?