Bliss

 "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."

First Reading: Gen. 22:1-2, 9, 10-13, 15-18

Sometime after these events, God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, "Abraham!" "Ready!" he replied. Then God said: "Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you." When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the LORD'S messenger called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. "Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger. "Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son." As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. Again the LORD'S messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing--all this because you obeyed my command.''

Resp. Psalm: Psalms 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19

Second Reading: Romans 8:31-34

What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, And his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Reflection:

By Grace Madrinan

Light. Overflow of emotions. Complete bliss. This is what I always feel whenever I attend the Kerygma Feast, a non-traditional weekly gathering of Catholic  Christians.  The solemn Eucharist followed by praise and worship and inspirational talks awakens my soul, moves me in a way words are not enough to explain. I am at home, I am at peace. I feel alive! I almost do not want to leave the venue…I don’t want the beautiful feeling to end.

This is probably similar to what Peter, James and John felt upon witnessing the transfiguration of Jesus at the mountain. They were blown away with what they saw; Peter even recommended to “build tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah”. They wanted that special moment to last.

But just like the transfiguration, we can’t stay at the mountain -- the same way that I can’t stay in the Kerygma feast venue for longer than the actual event.  I need to come down from the bliss, go back to the real world and battle another batch of temptations and sins. I cannot hide in the mountain and remain sheltered. I need to go back to the real work that is set by God before us.

But no matter how difficult to leave the mountain, we are blessed to have been granted of our own transfigurations in life, a glimpse of His saving grace. It’s like being supplied with the inspiration and motivation to arm us in our mission. We were given the assurance, a promise that God is with us in all our undertakings.  And we can always tap on this unlimited supply of His grace.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, in so many ways, You have allowed us to witness several transfigurations in our lives. Teach us to use these glorious moments to move us from our comfort zones towards the fulfillment of the actual mission You have set for us. Amen.