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There is More

Tomorrow we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration. The apostles had witnessed Jesus’ miracles and
had heard his teachings, but on Mount Tabor, Peter, John, and James saw that there was even more. They didn’t know what to do because beauty can’t be grasped or understood; on the contrary, we are called to surrender to it and let ourselves be transformed, changed in ways we cannot explain but which are real, very real.

Was St Peter thinking about this event when he wrote, “Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Pt 1:8-9)? These words always touch my heart. I want to see Him. I want to forget all troubles and like Peter say, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents (Lk 9:33).  And yet the way forward seems to be that of not seeing, and coming down the mountain: the night of faith, which Christ enkindles with love and desire… Let us embrace this path, then, because there is also more in store for us. In the meantime, we can be encouraged by these words of our father St. Bernard, “Faith cannot be deceived. With the power to understand invisible truths, faith does not know the poverty of the senses; it transcends even the limits of human reason, the capacity of nature, the bounds of experience” (Sermons on The Song of Songs 28:9).

Peter, John, and James didn’t understand, but they were transformed by what they saw. And so are we, the vision faith prepares us and makes us beautiful so that we can contemplate Him who is all beauty. Yes, I often realize that I’m even luckier than I thought. Thank you, Lord!

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