Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Year A
Today’s readings describe “close encounters” of the best kind...unimaginable encounters that take place between God and man. (This visible manifestation to a living person is referred to as a “theophany). The first one is the story of Daniel and his vision of heaven in which he sees the Ancient One upon His throne...with flames of fire...and wheels of burning fire... Daniel sees thousands upon thousands ministering to this mysterious figure as the court was convened and the books were opened. Daniel foretells the day of The Lord, the day of judgment. He foretells a time when One like a Son of man will appear coming on the clouds of heaven to receive dominion, glory, and kingship presumably from those who have anticipated His coming. Daniel encounters the Living God in all His glory during this vision and shares it with us so that we may contemplate the fullness of God’s Glory and place ourselves in the service of the One like the Son of man.
The second “close encounter” between God and man takes place during the event we know as the “Transfiguration,” when Jesus is revealed in His glory to the amazement of Peter, James, and John.
Throughout the course of Sacred Scripture God breaches the gap between His dwelling place and our earthly abode. We see God making His presence known to Moses in the form of the “Burning Bush” and again in the “Pillar of Fire” as God leads the Israelites through their ordeal of crossing the desert. When Jesus was being baptized in the Jordan, a voice from heaven was heard to say, “This is my beloved Son.” And, of course, we know that in the Person of Jesus, God took up a physical presence in our world to teach us that above everything else, God loves us and cares for us and that God’s greatest desire is for us to love Him in return.
As we continue on our spiritual journey we do well to focus on deepening our relationship with God. Are we doing our part to be mindful of God presence during the day, arranging some quiet time for our own “close encounter” with God and by making ourselves present to Him? That’s really all He asks of us, for us to be present to Him so that He can be present to us; so, He can reveal Himself to us as the God who loves, who forgives, who shares our pains, joys and sorrows, and who longs to fill us with His peace, joy, and His love. May we all experience a “close encounter” with our Lord and may that encounter be the beginning of a deeper and liberating experience.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacs engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those thinking of coming into or leaving it.
OTHER RESOURCE
Recommended Reading: Reaching Out by Fr. Henri J. Nouwen. With the clarity and depth characteristic of the classics, this spiritual bestseller lays out a perceptive and insightful plan for living a spiritual life and achieving the ultimate goal of that life -- union with God.
Recommended YouTube Video: ART OF LIVING Conference | FATHER RON ROLHEISER, "Finding Peace in Anxious Times". 2021 marked the 25th anniversary of the death of Henri Nouwen. This spiritual master has encouraged and blessed millions the world over with his writing! To commemorate and celebrate his remarkable life and work, the Henri Nouwen Society, in partnership with Creative Communications of Bayard and the University of St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto, hosted "Henri Nouwen and the Art of Living" online conference on June 4-5, 2021. Keynote Speakers Included: Sister Helen Prejean, Dr. C. Vanessa White, Father Ron Rolheiser, Rev. Marjorie Thompson, Sister Simone Campbell, Dr. Roberto S. Goizueta, and Dr. Chris Pritchett.
No comments:
Post a Comment