Listening to the Son of God

Reflection on Luke 9:28-36

Have you ever had an experience that you wished would not go away? I mean, the experience was just so wonderful, so perfect, so delightful that you wished it would just go on and on and on. Some people can point to one or more of such experiences in their lives.

That must have been the kind of experience Peter, John and James had when they witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor. It was sheer heaven on earth. Peter wished it would never end. He wanted to build three tents, one for Jesus, another for Moses and another for Elijah. Then he and his companions would settle there, and not have to go down the mountain. But Peter would be told, "not yet; so fast."

Because, "as he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow... And a voice came from the cloud saying, 'This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.' "That is what they had to do before they could enjoy what Peter was asking for: a permanent abode with Jesus in the fellowship of the Saints. And that is heaven. They had first to listen to the Son of God and then they would be able to live with him forever in heaven. Really, listening to Jesus is one of the pre-eminent tasks of a Christian. That is what makes him a disciple, one of the sheep of Christ. That is what Jesus said: ‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). The Apostle James would later add that listening to Jesus entails doing what he tells us. In his words, " ... you must do what the Word tells you and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves" (James 1:22).

It is well known that Jesus is speaking to us in the Bible, the Word of God. We must listen to him there. We know too that Jesus is speaking to us in and through the Church, his body. We must listen to him there. It is not so well known that Jesus is speaking to us also in the events of our daily lives, the good ones and the not-so-good ones, the happy ones and the sad ones, the pleasant and unpleasant. We must learn to listen to him there too.

Therefore, whenever something striking happens to us, we should make a habit of stopping to ask what message the Lord might have for us in that event. What is the Lord telling us, what might he be asking of us? We can ask the Lord in prayer to manifest his will in that event to us. We may also seek counsel from people who are in a position to enlighten us: our parents, our teachers, even our spouse or dose friend, and especially our priest. We shall be surprised to find God revealing his will to us loud and dear.

After all said and done, however, what is important is that we listen to the Son of God and do his will that he manifests to us. That is how we shall possess that permanent abode with him, that Peter wished for on Mount Tabor, the mountain of the Transfiguration.