Walking With Jesus

Sometimes we are fortunate to meet people that really impress us.  They are people of good character.  There is the potential to learn a lot about life from them.  When they ask us to accompany them someplace, we are more likely to go with them feeling assured that we will not be in danger and that the experience will be worthwhile.  When we reach the destination, the experience is beyond our wildest imagination.  What we see and hear is life changing.  This was the experience of the disciples with Jesus.
In today’s gospel, Jesus has asked Peter, James and John to accompany Him to the summit of a mountain.  Once there, Jesus face shone bright like the sun and his clothes were a dazzling white.  Suddenly, the disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus.  This may remind us of when Moses went up the mountain experienced God and received the Ten Commandments.  The face of Moses also appeared changed.  We are told that to this day the burial place of Moses is still a mystery.  It is like his body vanished.  In a similar way, we learned that Elijah was seen being taken to heaven on a chariot.  Neither Moses nor Elijah died and was buried in the normal fashion.  This seemed to foretell that Jesus would not have a normal death.
In the midst of this incredible vision, Peter speaks up.  He wants to make a tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.  He speaks out with his understandable human logic, thinking that Jesus, Moses, and Elijah has the same human needs that the disciples did in needed shelter from the elements high up on the mountain.  While Peter was speaking, a bright cloud came over them.  What can only be described as the voice of God was heard to say that Jesus was His beloved Son and that the disciples should listen to Him.  This may remind us of what happened when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.  
The disciples were terrified and fell to the ground in fear.  I can only think what would any of us have done.  The loving and caring Jesus sought to reassure His disciples.  He told them to get up and not be afraid.  That may be easier said than done when the voice of God is heard.  When the disciples rose, Moses and Elijah were gone.  They saw only Jesus.  I am sure they had many questions as they descended from the mountain.  They were given the most puzzling instructions.  They were told not to say anything to anyone about what they had just experienced until the Son of Man had been raised from the dead.
Brothers and sisters, what an experience this was for the disciples, Peter, James, and John.  Then to be told not to talk about it.  What was the final qualifier about “until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead?  This says that the most amazing person the that disciples had ever met would die and be raised from the dead.  This was an incredible experience that was one of many that the disciples would have with Jesus.  It would have too much for any human beings to comprehend.  This is just one instance where the disciples learned that nothing was impossible with Jesus.  
Many of us go through our lives knowing for sure that we have had experiences that can only be described as God inspired.  We know that we could not have gone from one side and come out the other without the God being on our side.  We may not witness grand visions like the disciples, but we may have had many smaller experiences that bring a smile to our faces and a moment of thankfulness in our hearts.  We know it was God and no one else.
Some of us may be brazen enough to think we got everything we have all on our own.  No divine intervention was required.  Some have forgotten what it is like to rely on God.  Some have forgotten the importance of loving God and our neighbors as ourselves.  
The good news of today’s gospel is that we remember, because of God, we can dream big dreams.  We can know that our God is a mighty God.  We can know that the scriptures are real.  We can know that the inspired word of God is to be believed and practiced.  We may not get everything right away nor understand everything without reading and rereading and studying and talking with learned people and be humble enough to listen more than we talk.  Today’s gospel illustrates how big God’s visions can be.  We can only dream to be as fortunate as the disciples were to see it.  Praise be to God for His inspiration and patience with us.
St. James family, I hope we can envision the kind of big dreams that God has in mind for us individually and for us as a church community.  No matter what is happening or not happening in our lives, God loves us.  God’s love is always there shining brighter than the sun.  God’s love is available to lead us toward our brightest dreams and supports us through our worst nightmares.  That is what love can do.  Just like in today’s gospel, Jesus may show us paths that we might not comprehend as possible.  Yet continued faith will eventually lead us to the right conclusion and to the path that Jesus intends for us.  Let us never be afraid to walk with Jesus through the good times and especially through the scary times.  My prayer for all of us is that we listen to the wisdom of Jesus which will eventually open our minds and hearts even if it initially makes no sense.  The wisdom of God, if we are courageous to follow it, will always lead us to a good place.  May God bless us all.  Amen.