Seems like this is one of those days when I just don’t want to write … I’ve been using every excuse possible to not do it. It’s not from lack of gratitude or anything like that … just one of those days, I guess. But it has to be done.
Maybe part of the ennui mentioned above is due to Sunday’s Gospel of the Transfiguration. I’m just not sure what to say about it that hasn’t already been said over 28 years of writing these reflections. That was kind of a shock to do the subtraction there … holy smokes … I been doing this for a long time!
Anyway, the key line for me this year is Luke’s mention of how the three disciples were overcome by sleep. When they awoke, the witnessed the last moments of the Transfiguration, and even then they weren’t sure what was going on. They reacted by wanting to hang on to the moment.
So the question is: How much do you and I miss the potentially transfiguring moments of our life due to lack of awareness or mental and physical lethargy? For example, I think one of the big problems today in church and national affairs is mental lethargy. Instead of thinking things through on their own, folks buy into slogans, or allow their prejudices to dictate their response or lack of it.
A prime example for me would be the issue of gun control … those who try to present a rational and balanced perspective are overwhelmed by the pro’s and anti’s. Pope Benedict’s resignation is bringing more of the same … those who want change and those who don’t are fighting each other on the blogs, repeating ad nauseam the same old slogans and arguments.
On the mountain Peter, James and John saw that there was more to Jesus than met the eye. On the hot issues of our day, there’s always more than meets the eye. Instead of seeing things from our own very limited perspective, could we not let God help us see things from God’s perspective?
Be God’s smile for someone today!
Fr. Herb, C.S.C.
