Tomorrow, the second Sunday of Lent, the gospel presents the scene of transfiguration. Jesus goes to the mount Tabor accompanied by his beloved disciples Peter, James and John to be transfigured. On last Sunday we heard the temptations of Jesus in the desert. The evangelists don’t speak of any disciples near Jesus at the time of his temptations. During the Passion Week we will hear again Jesus going to the mountain of Olives to pray before his agony and crucifixion. There too, there are his beloved disciples Peter, James and John, but they are fast asleep. Finally we encounter Jesus on another mountain, the mountain of Calvary abandoned by all his disciples.
In fact in the Lucan account of Transfiguration, the evangelist says: “Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory”. Naturally, the scene of transfiguration is too good to fall asleep. So even though they were tired and weary, they must have made it a point not to miss anything of the entire episode.
Often like the disciples we are happy to stay close to Jesus in moments of bliss and glory. But the true discipleship consists not only in sharing the moments of joy and happiness but also in sharing the moments of pain and agony which is a partaking of the Cross of Christ. Jesus was fully aware that his glory was not just on Tabor alone but there was a Calvary waiting for him. The call of Jesus is very clear “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”. That is how the cross becomes for the follower of Christ not simply an object of Christian faith but the badge of his discipleship, the principle by which his life is to be regulated.
May be I can ask myself, how do I respond to my daily crosses? What is my attitude towards them?
No comments:
Post a Comment