Scared moments – Sacred moments
Desert moments – wonderful moments
Life is full of such moments
As I drove along a prairie highway one deep, dark moonless night, I felt a little lost, sacred and very tiny; yet how wonderful to be a part of this vast universe. I felt the awe of an all-enveloping love. The car lights in the darkness revealed the way, one yellow line at a time, and invited me to trust it would guide me unerringly home safely. I believe this was a transfiguration moment.
The unknown is scary, yet it challenges us to take that next step, to move onward. When the unknown becomes known it can lead to sacred moments even in the midst of daily life. Desert times can be most frightening, yet challenge us to trust that they lead somewhere better. Sacred moments can also be frightening, yet allow us to change, allow us to keep them in memory during the ordinary events of everyday life. They remain beacons, reassurances that life will not always be “that” way.
This second Sunday of Lent we witness Jesus and his disciples in a sacred moment – during his prayer on Mount Tabor Jesus is transfigured, and the disciples experience what we could surely call a “mountain-top experience”. The previous week Jesus announced his upcoming passion, suffering and death. Peter, James and John have had some time to absorb this absurdity, and now get a glimpse into Jesus’ upcoming resurrection. In this ‘desert place’ the disciples receive a foretaste of glory to come.
In the awesomeness of the moment, a cloud covers the mountain top and the disciples experience darkness and deep fear. Yet, they remain to hear the Father presenting his Beloved Son to them, telling them to listen to him. What this all means, they are not too sure, yet the wonder of it remains with them until after the Resurrection. What an unforgettable experience!
Scary moments, desert times and sacred, awe-filled moments are also part of our ordinary lives.. A moonless dark night, an impending life-changing moment: SCARY! Then the sun rises, we discover that our choice was the right one. In such moments our tools of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving strengthen us on the journey and enable us to move forward on our journey toward the Resurrection. Whether on a high place or deep in an abyss, the experience is there for us to accept and to trust that it is the right one.
‘Desert’ of the First Sunday is followed by the ‘Transfiguration’ of the Second Sunday. Everything leads to the Divine Presence.
HAPPY LENTEN JOURNEY!
Submitted by Sister Janice Fournier, pm
