Listen to Him: A Call to Transformation
Reflection on Luke 9:28b-36
In today's Gospel, taken from Luke 9:28b-36, we are brought to the mountaintop with Jesus, Peter, James, and John. This is the powerful moment of the Transfiguration—a mysterious and profound encounter where Jesus’ divinity is revealed in a dazzling, radiant light. He appears in glory with Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, and then a voice from the cloud proclaims: "This is my chosen Son; listen to him."
What are we to take from this extraordinary event? It’s easy to be awestruck by the glory and light, but the heart of the passage is found in those five simple words from God the Father: "Listen to Him." This command is not just for Peter, James, and John—it’s for us.
Let’s consider the setting. Jesus takes the disciples up a mountain to pray. Mountains in Scripture are places of divine encounter—think of Moses receiving the commandments on Mount Sinai or Elijah hearing God’s whisper on Mount Horeb. In this mountaintop moment, the disciples see Jesus not just as a teacher or miracle-worker, but as the Son of God. His face changes. His clothes become dazzling white. His true nature shines through.
Yet even in the brilliance of this divine revelation, Peter responds in a very human way—he wants to build tents, to stay in that glorious moment. “Master,” he says, “it is good that we are here.” He wants to hold on to the glory. But God’s plan does not remain on the mountain. The voice interrupts, and they are brought back down, into the ordinary world, back to the journey toward the cross.
Here’s the lesson: moments of glory are given not for us to cling to comfort, but to prepare us for mission. The mountaintop is not the end—it is the preparation for the valley below.
"Listen to Him." This is the central command. The disciples will soon face confusion, fear, and suffering as Jesus journeys to Jerusalem and the cross. Listening to Him—really listening—will be their compass. And it must be ours, too.
But how do we “listen” to Jesus today?
We listen through Scripture—opening the Gospels and letting His words speak to our hearts. We listen in prayer—in silence, when we stop talking and allow Him to speak. We listen through the teachings of the Church, the wisdom of the saints, and even in the cries of the poor and the suffering. The Transfiguration reminds us that we are not following a mere teacher—we are following the beloved Son of God.
As Catholics, we’re also reminded of the Transfiguration at every Mass. The Eucharist may not dazzle our eyes like the mountaintop light, but it is the same Jesus—truly present in glory, offering Himself for us. When we approach the altar, we are invited to see with the eyes of faith and recognize Him in the breaking of the bread.
And then, like the disciples, we are sent back down the mountain—into our daily lives, changed, renewed, strengthened. We cannot remain in the sanctuary forever. We are called to bring the light we have seen into a world that so often walks in darkness.
Key Takeaway:
The Transfiguration invites us to encounter the glory of Jesus and listen to Him—not just in extraordinary moments, but in the everyday. Let us open our hearts to His voice, be transformed by His presence, and bring His light to others.
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