During Sunday’s Angelus address, Pope Francis reflects on the transfiguration of Jesus and urges Christians to transform our experience of prayer into a desire to bring hope to the world.
By Devin Watkins
Prior to the traditional Angelus Prayer of Mary, Pope Francis spoke of the Transfiguration as told in the Sunday Gospel (Mk 9: 2-10).
He began by reflecting on what Jesus told his disciples before taking them up the mountain. Jesus had just revealed that He would be sentenced to death but would be resurrected.
“The image of a strong and victorious Messiah is brought into crisis, their dreams are shattered and they are haunted by the thought that the Teacher they believed in should be killed as the worst culprit,” said the Pope.
Broken hearts
With these concerns in their hearts, the disciples follow Jesus up the mountain, where He changes for them.
Pope Francis said that Jesus thus reminded them that He would overcome death.
“His face beaming and his clothes glittering, an example of his image as the Risen One, offer those fearful men the light to pass through the shadows.”
New position
The Pope reflected on Peter’s words: “Rabbi, it is good that we are here!”
He said that the apostle’s expression of appreciation is a reminder that the Lord never lets darkness have the last word.
When we face seemingly endless trials, the Pope said, we need a different viewpoint: “a light that deeply illuminates the mystery of life and helps us move beyond our state of mind and the criteria of this world.”
We too, he emphasized, are called to climb the mountain with Jesus to let every fragment of our lives be illuminated by His victory at Easter.
Spiritual laziness
However, Pope Francis warned, we should not let our joy at the Transfiguration turn to “spiritual laziness.”
“We cannot stay on the mountain and just enjoy the beauty of this encounter,” he noted. “Jesus himself takes us back to the valley, among our brothers and sisters and in daily life.”
Spiritual laziness, the Pope said, forces us to rest in the satisfaction of our own well-being while ignoring the struggles of others.
“Going up the mountain does not mean forgetting reality; prayer never means avoiding life’s difficulties, ”he said.
Christian mission
Pope Francis concluded his catechesis and urged Christians to change our experience with Jesus and spread His light around the world.
The mission of every Christian, he said, is to “kindle little lights in the hearts of men; like little lamps of the Gospel that carry a little love and hope.”
And the Pope asked the Blessed Virgin Mary to join us to welcome the light of Christ, to care for it and to share it with our brothers and sisters.