Go Down from the Mount!

Second Sunday of Lent

February 21, 2016

Luke 9:28-36

“He took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray (Luk 9:28).”

For St. Luke, Jesus is a man of prayer. Luke fondly wrote in his Gospel that Jesus would pray before the decisive events in His life and mission. Jesus prayed the whole night before he chose His disciples (Luk 6:12). One of the reasons why Jesus cleansed the Temple of Jerusalem was that He was well aware of the main function of the holy Temple: House of Prayer (Luk 19:46). He reminded his disciples to pray especially in facing trials and tribulations (Luk 21:36). Before He was embracing His passion and death, He prayed at the garden (Luk 22:44). Finally, enduring a brutal torture, He saved His last breath even to pray for those who have crucified Him (Luk 23:34).

Another important event wherein Jesus spent time in prayer was the Transfiguration. Two evangelists, Matthew and Luke, placed the story of Transfiguration into their gospels, but only Luke who told the purpose of why Jesus and His three disciples went up to the Mount. It was to pray. For Luke, the Transfiguration is a prayer event. Indeed, reflecting today’s Gospel in the context of prayer will bring us a deeper understanding on our relationship with God.

Firstly, Jesus invited the disciples to climb the Mount and pray. Our desire to meet Him and to pray is actually God’s initiative. If we are able to pray, it is because God calls us and enables us to communicate with Him. Our Liturgy of the Hour prayer begins with a verse ‘O God, come to my assistance (Ps 51:15).’ It is a humble acceptance that without His grace and aid, we are not able to pray. We, Catholics, open our prayer with the sign of the cross and mentioning, “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Mat 28:19).” This was born out of conviction that apart from the Holy Trinity, our human words will be futile. St. Paul said it best when he wrote to the Romans, “the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings (Rom 8:26).”

Secondly, the Transfiguration teaches us that sometimes, our prayers give sense of delight and contentment, but this is not the most important. We are like the three disciples who were filled with awe in the presence of transfigured Jesus. It is the moment when we feel peace before the Blessed Sacrament. We are enjoying the recitation of the Holy Rosary. We are inspired by a good homily and feel nourished by the Holy Communion in the Eucharist. Sometimes, I attended Worship Service loaded with upbeat songs and electrifying preaching. Truly, the feeling was ecstatic and liberating, especially for persons with messed up lives. 

Surely, like the disciples, we want to enjoy the delight for eternity. Yet, our good Lord did not want us to be rooted there. He asked the disciples to go down and face the world. If we rather stay and refuse to go down, then our prayers are no longer genuine and sincere. They become an addiction that helps us escape from the realities. If this happens, Karl Marx’ adage, ‘Religion is the opium to the society’ turns to be a reality. 

St. Pope John Paul II reminded us that the Transfiguration would lead eventually Jesus and his disciples to that passion in Jerusalem. Prayer should then empower us to face life with courage and humility, and not to give us a venue to run away from life. The Eucharist, as the summit of all Christian worship, does not end by saying ‘Stay and enjoy some more!’ The last phrase in the Mass is always missionary in spirit, like ‘Go and preach the Gospel’. We are to share the fruits of prayers to others. If we truly find Christ in our prayer, then together with Christ, we shall go down from the Mount and bravely walk to our Jerusalem.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP