Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 13, 2022
Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.
As a Colorado native, my parents raised me with a great appreciation for the beauty of God’s creation. As I grew older, I began to pursue this passion by taking on challenging hikes. Some of my favorite hiking experiences have been climbing Colorado’s Fourteeners, which are mountains that are over fourteen thousand feet in elevation.
The last quarter mile of these hikes are the hardest part because of the lack of oxygen at such high elevation. The hopes that you are almost there are constantly dashed by false summits along the way, but the view from the summit makes all the hard work worthwhile. You can see for miles because you are higher than anything else around you. These moments always bring me clarity, peace, and a realization of my profound smallness in the world.
While studying abroad in Galway, Ireland, I learned that ancient Celts believed there are “thin places” where Heaven and Earth seem especially close. From what they described, I think the summit of Fourteeners are some of the thinnest places I have ever been.
I believe Peter, John, and James had a similar experience. During the Transfiguration, the summit of the mountain was certainly a “thin place” where Heaven met Earth and they heard the voice of God the Father. This is one of those moments in the gospels where the apostles are strikingly reminded that they are in the presence of the Son of God.
It is important for us all to seek out “thin places” where we can better listen to the voice of God in our own lives and recognize the immense gift of the life and death of Jesus. Whether that place be the top of a mountain, meeting our Lord in the Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, or even in a vulnerable conversation with a friend, being intentional about finding our “thin place” can help us grow in our relationship with God.
Prayer
Heavenly God, we acknowledge that there is much in our lives we do not understand. Like Peter, we do not always know how to respond to the gifts you have given us. At times, we can be overwhelmed by your presence. At other times, we can feel far from your attention and care. Speak to us, then, as you spoke to Peter, James, and John on the day of your Son’s Transfiguration. Guide our eyes and ears so that we might recognize the hidden face of Christ in our midst. Help us to embrace the mystery of our lives and to trust that change and uncertainty can also bring insight and growth, as it did in the lives of the apostles many years ago. We ask this in the name of your chosen and beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Saint of the Day
As a missionary, Bl. Agnellus took the Franciscan way of life—poverty, simplicity, prayerfulness, community—to England in both word and deed.
He was born to a family of nobles in Pisa, Italy, in 1195. St. Francis himself received him into the Franciscan order. Even though he was a deacon, he was sent to Paris to start a Franciscan mission there. From there, he was sent to England with nine other Franciscans.
True to the spirit of St. Francis, they set out for England with no money. A monastery near the coast paid for their passage to Dover. When they arrived, they settled at Canterbury in a building that was used as a school by day. They had to stay huddled in a back room while students were in the building, and after they had left, the Franciscans could come out and make themselves feel at home with a fire. For sustenance, they had only a little bread and a thick beer that had to be diluted with water. These conditions, however, did not dampen their spirits and they were quickly known for their simple piety, cheerfulness, and enthusiasm. The community grew and they secured a place to live in London and a school at Oxford.
King Henry III befriended Agnellus, and admired his holiness and purity. He asked Agnellus to serve as a diplomat and to negotiate a dispute between the king and an earl that threatened civil war.
Agnellus was known as a deeply prayerful man. He shed tears continually during Mass because he was moved so deeply, but he did not make any kind of show of his piety. He strictly followed a commitment to poverty. He only consented to build anything when it was a last resort, it was said, and one of the infirmaries was built so simply that its ceilings were only barely higher than a person.
He died at the age of 41 of natural causes in 1236, and his relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
Blessed Agnellus of Pisa, you were the Franciscan missionary who founded centers of study and prayer in England—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Bl. Agnellus of Pisa is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed February 6, 2025.