“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” – Matthew 17:5
It is difficult to constantly come to prayer (bringing the pain, expectation, disappointment, joys, and hopes of the day with me) and remain waiting for some response from God. When I show up, I often bring the self-pressure of needing to prove my worth to God and put on a good face, an attempt to “earn” an experience of grace in prayer. All of today’s readings in some way remind me that God’s grace (overwhelming and confusing as it can sometimes be) is offered freely and in abundance.
It can be difficult to acknowledge and let go of my own self-pressure in order to hear the still, small voice whispering, “You are my Beloved.” This kind of prayer essentially involves letting go of who I assume God needs me to be and then committing to simply being with God in a spirit of listening and openness.
When we do ultimately experience these moments of knowing ourselves as God’s beloved, we may not fully understand what has happened to us. We may try to contain the experience of grace (or build a tent for them) as Peter suggests in today’s Gospel. Jesus cautions the disciples sit with this experience a little longer, allowing the meaning of the vision to unfold along with the Passion that is to come. He invites them, and us, to focus less on understanding and containing these encounters with grace, and more on surrendering to the reality of what God is doing in us.
As I sit with the Lord today, can I allow myself to be overcome by mystery and love? Can I resist the temptation to understand these moments of grace, and instead remain focused on the voice of God?
Reflected by Jen Coito
When we do ultimately experience these moments of knowing ourselves as God’s beloved, we may not fully understand what has happened to us. We may try to contain the experience of grace (or build a tent for them) as Peter suggests in today’s Gospel. Jesus cautions the disciples sit with this experience a little longer, allowing the meaning of the vision to unfold along with the Passion that is to come. He invites them, and us, to focus less on understanding and containing these encounters with grace, and more on surrendering to the reality of what God is doing in us.
As I sit with the Lord today, can I allow myself to be overcome by mystery and love? Can I resist the temptation to understand these moments of grace, and instead remain focused on the voice of God?
Reflected by Jen Coito
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