Today’s gospel takes us to the Mount of the Transfiguration.  Jesus has been speaking to His apostles about His coming crucifixion and death.

Within this context Jesus takes His closest apostles to Mount Tabor.  The thought of His death caused His followers to be “overwhelmed with grief.”  To counterbalance their grief, the Transfiguration of Jesus gave them a foretaste of His risen glory.  They were shown what would be the outcome of Jesus’ laying down His life:  He would be raised to eternal glory.  A share in that glory awaited those who were joined with Him and remained faithful to Him.

Matthew tells us that when God spoke the apostles fell to the ground and were afraid.  As they lie on the ground overcome with fear, he touches them and tells them not to be afraid.  By this addition the risen Lord assures His Church that He is with them.  The next verse adds a new dimension in the disciples’ relationship to the risen Lord.  They look up to see “no one except Jesus alone.”

Matthew has shaped this story in order to tell us that when the crises and shocks of life paralyze us, there is only one option for a believer.  We must feel Jesus’ touch, look up from our doubt and fear and move forward with the risen Lord.

God Bless,

Msgr. Powell