Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor.
We remember Hiroshima in Japan, where the first atomic bomb was dropped in 1945.
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Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor.
We remember Hiroshima in Japan, where the first atomic bomb was dropped in 1945.
Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Whoever lives and believes in me
will never die.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Luke 9,28-36
Now about eight days after this had been said, he took with him Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray. And it happened that, as he was praying, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became sparkling white. And suddenly there were two men talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they woke up and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' He did not know what he was saying. As he was saying this, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, 'This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.' And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
If you believe, you will see the glory of God,
thus says the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The mountain of the Transfiguration, which later tradition identifies with Tabor, stands as the image of every spiritual journey. We can imagine that Jesus also calls us to lead us with him on the mountain, as he did with his three closest friends to live with him the experience of intimate communion with the Father. Some commentators suggest that the story tells of a spiritual experience that involved above all Jesus: a heavenly vision that produced a transfiguration in him. It is a hypothesis that allows us to grasp more deeply Jesus' spiritual life. Sometimes we forget that Jesus also had his spiritual journey, he too had to climb the mountain, as Abraham and Moses, Elijah did and as every believer must do. It is to say that Jesus too felt the need to "go up" to the Father, to meet with him. It is true that the communion with the Father was his very being, his whole life, the bread of his days, the substance of its mission, the heart of all that he was and did; but perhaps he needed moments in which this intimate relationship emerged in its fullness. Certainly the disciples needed it. The experience of Tabor was one of those singular moments of communion that the Gospel extends to all the historical events of the people of Israel, as evidenced by the presence of Moses and Elijah, who "were talking with Jesus." Jesus did not live this experience alone; he also involved his three closest friends. It was a moment among the most significant for Jesus' personal life, and it also became such for the three disciples and for all those who allow themselves to be involved in the same ascent. In the regular life with the Lord, in prayer and listening to the Scriptures we are always called to transfigure our life and the world around us.
Het gebed is het hart van het leven van de Gemeenschap van Sant’Egidio. Het is haar eerste “werk”. Aan het einde van de dag komt elke Gemeenschap, of die nu klein of groot is, samen bij de Heer om het Woord te beluisteren en zich tot Hem te richten in het gebed. De leerlingen kunnen niet anders dan aan de voeten van Jezus zitten, zoals Maria van Bethanië, om het “betere deel” te kiezen (Lc 10, 42) en van Hem zijn gezindheid te leren (vgl. Fil 2, 5).
Elke keer dat de Gemeenschap zich tot de Heer richt, maakt ze zich die vraag eigen van de anonieme leerling: “Heer, leer ons bidden!” (Lc 11, 1). En Jezus, meester in het gebed, antwoordt: “Wanneer jullie bidden, zeg dan: Abba, Vader”.
Wanneer we bidden, ook in de geslotenheid van ons eigen hart, zijn we nooit alleen of verweesd. Integendeel, we zijn leden van de familie van de Heer. In het gemeenschappelijk gebed wordt naast het mysterie van het kindschap, ook dat van de broederschap en zusterschap duidelijk.
De Gemeenschappen van Sant’Egidio, verspreid over de wereld, verzamelen zich op de verschillende plaatsen die gekozen zijn voor het gebed en brengen de hoop en het verdriet van de “uitgeputte en hulpeloze mensenmenigte” waarover het Evangelie spreekt (Mt 9, 37) bij de Heer. Deze oude menigte omvat de inwoners van onze hedendaagse steden, de armen die zich bevinden in de marge van het leven, en iedereen die wacht om als dagloner te worden aangenomen (vgl. Mt 20).
Het gemeenschappelijk gebed verzamelt de schreeuw, de hoop, het verlangen naar vrede, genezing, zin en redding, die beleefd worden door de mannen en vrouwen van deze wereld. Het gebed is nooit leeg. Het stijgt onophoudelijk op naar de Heer opdat verdriet verandert in vreugde, wanhoop in blijheid, angst in hoop, eenzaamheid in gemeenschap. En het rijk Gods zal spoedig temidden van de mensen komen.
