On Sunday, in the Angelus speech, Pope Francis reflects on the Transfiguration of Jesus and urges Christians to turn our experience of prayer into a desire to bring hope to the world.
By Devin Watkins
Before the traditional Marian prayer of the Angelus, Pope Francis spoke of the Transfiguration, as recounted in the Sunday Gospel (Mk 9: 2-10).
He began by considering what Jesus said to his disciples before going up the mountain. Jesus had just revealed that he would be sentenced to death, but he would be resurrected.
“The image of a strong and triumphant Messiah is put in crisis, his dreams are destroyed and they are affected by the anguish of thinking that the master whom they believed should be murdered as the worst of the evildoers,” the Pope.
Broken hearts
With these concerns in their hearts, the disciples follow Jesus to the mountain, where he is transfigured before them.
Pope Francis said Jesus remembered them so he would overcome death.
“His radiant face and shining garments, which provide a preview of his image of the Risen One, offer those frightened men the light to pass through the shadows.”
New point of view
The Pope continued to reflect on Peter’s words: “Rabbi, it is good that we are here!”
He said the apostle’s expression of gratitude is a reminder that the Lord never lets darkness have the last word.
When we face seemingly endless trials, the Pope said, we need another point of view: “a light that deeply illuminates the mystery of life and helps us overcome our state of mind and the criteria of this world. “.
We too, he stressed, are called to climb the mountain with Jesus to illuminate all the fragments of our lives for his victory at Holy Week.
Spiritual laziness
However, Pope Francis warned, we must not let our joy at the Transfiguration become a “spiritual laziness.”
“We can’t stay in the mountains and enjoy the beauty of this encounter by ourselves,” he noted. “Jesus himself brings us back to the valley, among our brothers and sisters, to daily life.”
Spiritual laziness, the Pope said, pushes us to rest in the satisfaction of our own well-being, while ignoring the struggles facing others.
“Climbing the mountain does not mean forgetting reality; praying never means avoiding the hardships of life, ”he said.
Christian mission
Pope Francis concluded his instant catechesis on Christians in transforming our experience with Jesus and bringing his light to the whole world.
The mission of every Christian, he said, is to light “little lights in the hearts of the people; being little lamps of the Gospel that bring a little love and hope.”
And the Pope asked the Blessed Virgin Mary to join us in welcoming the light of Christ, caring for it and sharing it with our brothers and sisters.