Empowerment from the Father

Mark 9: 2-13
Heb 11:1-7 / Ps 145

This is My Beloved Son. Listen to Him.
(Mark 9:7)

Lead me Lord to Your heights sublime,
And there behold Your radiant face;
In Your presence bide for a time
To be empowered by Your grace.

What a terrifying moment it must have been for Sts. Peter, James and John when they heard the voice of God thundering from the clouds atop Mt. Hebron. And yet, how good it must have felt to be so near to heaven. So much so that Peter wanted to stay there longer, as he urged the Master to allow them to build three tents for Him, Moses and Elijah. But Jesus had not brought them to this peaceful place to escape, or to take a short vacation from the madding crowd below. He had come here to be recharged, as the time of His mission’s culmination drew near. He needed this transfiguration before His crucifixion. He needed to hear His Father’s voice for reassurance, that He was pleased with Him, and that He loved Him. Coming down from the mountain, our Lord was ready to face His tormentors and the jaws of death in another mountain. Moses and Elijah, God’s greatest prophet and greatest leader had been sent to reassure Him of the glory that awaited Him upon the completion of His mission. But the best reassurance and empowerment had come from the loving voice of the Father Himself, Who was pleased with His Son. Now He was ready.

Reflection

As a young boy, there was nothing more fulfilling for me than doing what I believed was pleasing to my father. As a war veteran and former chief of police, he was a disciplinarian his eleven children regarded with great fear and reverence. His word was law, and most of the things he taught us have remained indelible in our lives. My trust in his word was so absolute that I could set out to accomplish whatever he ordered or even merely suggested. As a 13-year old weakling, stricken with asthma, sinusitis and migraine, my father told me I needed to build up muscles to support my weak physical structure. In just a few days, I was able to build my own backyard gym, consisting of a chinning pole, parallel bars, abdominal board, and a crude barbell made out of tin cans with poured cement. After a few months of working out in my personal gym, I had built up enough muscles to scare the neighborhood bully.

We all need to spend quiet moments of meditation with our heavenly Father for our inspiration and spiritual development. We need to hear His voice in our prayertime and in His Word, the Holy Bible. Nothing is impossible when we believe that what we are doing is according to His will. As the Book of Wisdom assures us: Those who trust in God shall understand truth, and shall abide with Him in love: because grace and mercy are with His holy ones, and His care is with His elect (Wis.3:9). We also have complete trust in the words of Psalm 91: You have the Lord for your refuge; you have made the Most High your stronghold. No evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent. Whoever clings to Me I will deliver; whoever knows My Name I will set on high. I will satisfy them and show them My saving power (Ps.91:9-16).

Father God, grant that I may hear Your voice in quiet moments with You, reassuring me of Your love, so that nothing will be impossible for me to do for Your glory. Amen.