18 February, Saturday — God is With Us

Saturday of Week 6 in Ordinary Time

Heb 11:1-7
Mk 9:2-17

“This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.”

Today’s Gospel talks about the Transfiguration. I have wondered what this mystical event was meant for; our Lord, or for the disciples? Although our Lord Jesus was human, He is also God. I wonder what it was that He, Elijah and Moses spoke about. Was it encouragement or counsel that was given to Jesus? Did they have a conversation about what was to transpire?

The Transfiguration likely served both purposes. 

Firstly, it would be only a little further in Mark 12 that Jesus would find Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane, seeking His Father’s guidance on whether the cup could pass Him by. It felt like the darkest night (next to the Crucifixion, of course) that He would have to endure. I can envision the amount of encouragement our Lord must have drawn from His meeting with the two prophets.

Secondly, I thought the words spoken by our Father, “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him”, were directed at the disciples. While unsure of what was to come, this event would have comforted and encouraged the disciples through the period of uncertainty and doubt that was to come.

My view was affirmed when I read the First Reading, where the Apostle Paul affirmed the important part faith plays in our journey as Christians. He gives multiple examples of how this faith takes priority over actions. He talks about Abel, Enoch and Noah and how their faith allowed them to please God better.

Let us be encouraged by the two readings and the fact that God never allows us to flounder through our challenges. He will always be there to guide and be with us, walking with us!

(Today’s OXYGEN by Paul Wee)

Prayer: In the challenges we face in our lives, we ask that we are always open and sensitive to all your messages to us, Oh God. Help us always to draw encouragement by all the events we read in the Bible. 

Thanksgiving:  Thank you for never allowing us to go through our challenges, Father. We are grateful that You continue to love us, despite all our flaws.