Life Is Beautiful Series

Life is Beautiful

Scripture

Matthew 17:1-9

Reflection

Dear sisters and brothers,

Life is beautiful and we all need to experience it.

It is the experience of suffering.

It is the experience of difficulties.

It is the experience of pain.

It is the experience of sadness.

It is the experience of failure.

It is the experience of joy.

It is the experience of happiness.

It is the experience of success.

Life is not a straight line.

Life is filled with ECG lines.

Life has mountains.

Life has valleys.

Life has plain lands.

Life has to be learned.

The beauty of life comes from those natural settings.

Today’s gospel reading is a good news for such a beautiful setting.

Look at those three disciples with whom Jesus climbed the mountain.

We may ask why only three disciples and with their names.

Because these three disciples convey a message to each one of us.

What is the message?

The message is: life is beautiful, live it fully, and do not ignore it.

Firstly, look at Peter.

Jesus expressed his future and that he has to go through suffering, death, and resurrection (Matthew 16:21-23).

After hearing this, Peter said to Jesus, it should not be.

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:23)

Peter did not understand god’s plan even though he lived with Jesus for quite a long time.

In the same way, life is not a straight line.

Life has no shortcut to success.

Secondly, look at James and John.

They demanded sitting on the right and the left of Jesus when he comes into his kingdom (Mark 10:35-45).

They did not understand the cup that Jesus spoke of, the cup of suffering.

This cup is not filled with joy.

This cup is filled with sorrows.

All these three disciples, Peter, James, and John, need to understand not a human concern but God’s concern.

They need to move from the human view to God’s view of life.

They need to move from the human way to God’s way.

God has called us for a purpose.

The purpose is to be a blessing (Genesis 12:1-4) and to live a holy life with the help of God (2 Timothy 1:8-10).

But, but…

God’s way does not come in a shortcut.

It comes with suffering, death, and the glory of God in the resurrection.

If we understand it, we will start our lives on a more positive note every day, believing that God has called us and he is with us, and with everything is possible.

That is why Jesus says to them…get up from sleep…do not be afraid (Matthew 17:7).

Let us be a blessing as we are called…

This is my Son/daughter, whom I love; with him/her I am well pleased (Matthew 17:5).

God is with us in our journey, the journey to eternal life in his Kingdom.

May the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all. Amen…