Trust in the Darkness

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Matt 17:5)

A reflection from Father Tudgay for the Second Sunday of Lent.

External validation is something that every human craves from time to time. Especially when we’re in tedious circumstances or when there isn’t a terribly clear resolution, getting some encouragement or recognition can really help our emotional response to stress. But what about those times when we don’t get that helpful affirmation? What happens when just a little affirmation or complement would ease our anxiety about a difficult situation? The moments when we simply have to hang in there, to do the right thing when our determination and actions may not be acknowledged by anyone can be difficult. A little affirmation or external validation can go a long way. The absence of it can be quite tedious. 

This weekend’s Gospel passage is a familiar one to us. Christ’s Transfiguration on Mount Tabor represents one of the moments in the Gospels where the ultimate “external validation” is experienced. Like Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, his transfiguration on Mount Tabor includes a theophany … literally, a manifestation of God’s glory. The voice of the Father saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him represents the affirmation that would’ve completely changed the understanding of Christ by Peter, James, and John. Peter, understandably, wanted to simply remain there forever and be a spectator of God’s glory. 

However, as the story unfolds, the manifestation of Christ’s glory subsides. God the Father’s external affirmation of Christ and his directive to the Apostles ceases. Jesus gives them the command not to tell anyone about what they witnessed. They are sent back down the mountain. They proceed toward Jerusalem. Jesus gets arrested and condemned. The Paschal Mystery unfolds. Chaos ensues and there is no external affirmation or validation given to the Apostles, only Christ’s ominous prediction of his passion and death. 

During this season of Lent, the disciplines of the season can be difficult and tedious. That’s ok. By remaining faithful to deepening our relationship with Christ through the beautiful intensity of this season, our intimacy with Christ relies less on any validation or consolation, but on knowing that remaining faithful is precisely where we need to be. During this time, we journey with Christ in the desert, faithful to the Church and faithful to Christ. While there may not be that many “atta girl/boy” ’s to get us through this season, the consolation of following Christ brings us an indescribable joy.