AUDIO MEDITATION:

Raphael, or Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (1483-1520), The Transfiguration. Public domain.

FULL TEXT:

When Jesus is revealed in glory, a cloud descends on the scene and a voice comes from the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” This is one of the clearest moments in all of Scripture—God the Father is telling us that this is his beloved Son.

This painting was the last work of the Renaissance master, Rafael. He compressed the transfiguration with the scene that comes after it in Mark’s Gospel when Jesus heals an epileptic boy. Above, Jesus stands divine and radiant. Below, the disciples on the left struggle to heal the boy, and on the right, reassure his troubled father. Even after this amazing revelation of Jesus—after hearing God claim Jesus as his own Son—the disciples remain powerless and confused.

When we experience God’s holy presence in our lives, we still have to return to our daily problems and brokenness. The struggle of this life does not go away. Recalling the vision of God’s faithfulness that we experienced on the mountaintop can give us encouragement when we are struggling below.

What helps us turn towards Jesus as our savior? How might we better listen to him today?