Sự chữa lành cậu bé bị quỷ ám tương phản với sự thiếu sức mạnh và quyền năng của Chúa Giêsu. Rõ ràng, Chúa Giêsu đang đau khổ. Lời của Ngài nói ra hôm nay thể hiện sự chán nản; Ngài cảm thấy cô đơn một mình, bị hiểu lầm, không ai nhận ra được sự đau khổ của Ngài. Ngay cả những người môn đệ của Ngài cũng không có lòng tin. Trong thời điểm này, Chúa Giêsu rất lo lắng khi phải rời xa những người Chung quanh, Ngàiv không còn chịu nổi cái cảnh này. Điều này có thể giúp chúng ta hiểu rõ tâm hồn của Chúa Giêsu. Chúng ta thấy Ngài cũng chỉ là con người bình thường như chúng ta cũng cảm thấy nản lòng.
Điều Chúa Giêsu đòi hỏi ở nơi chúng ta hôm nay là đức tin. Niềm tin là những gì Ngài đòi hỏi nơi những người xung quanh. Nỗi đau khổ lớn lao của Chúa đang bị bao vây bởi những người thiếu lòng tin, khi Ngài biết rằng đã có bao nhiêu phép lạ Ngài đã làm thật kỳ diệu để giúp họ thêm lòng tin cho họ. Cha của cậu bé đã hiểu được điều này, và đã mau mắn chạy đến với Chúa Giêsu, và tỏ bày một đức tin đáng ngưỡng mộ. Đức tin của người cha chứa đầy sự khiêm tốn, kính phục. Ông nói: "Vâng, con tin. Nhưng lạy Chúa, xin Chúa giúp làm tăng niềm tin yếu đuối ở nơi con, vì con cảm thấy rằng con lòng tin của con quá yếu đuối."
Sức mạnh của đức tin ngang với sức mạnh của lời cầu nguyện. Đức tin khiêm tốn và lời cầu nguyện có thể giải thoát chúng ta khỏi những sự lo lắng này. Chúng ta sẽ không có đức tin và sức mạnh của Chúa Thánh Thần để vượt qua những tệ nạn, những thử thách xung quanh chúng ta, trừ khi chúng ta biết cầu nguyện thường xuyên
The cure of the boy possessed by an evil spirit contrasts the disciple's lack of power and the power of Jesus. Obviously, Jesus is suffering. His words express discouragement; he is alone, misunderstood, unrecognized. Even his disciples have no faith. At this point, Jesus is anxious to be away from this unbearable company. This makes us enter into the soul of Jesus. We see him as man who feels discouraged.
What Jesus requires of us is faith. Faith is what he asks of the people around him. His great suffering is to be surrounded by people who do not believe, when he knows how many marvels faith could work out for them. The boy's father guesses this, and on the prompting of Jesus, makes an admirable profession of faith. The father's faith is filled with humility. He says: "Yes, I believe. But Lord, do increase my weak faith, for I feel that I do not believe enough." The power of faith is equal to the power of prayer. Humble faith and prayer can free us from this anxiety. Unless we pray regularly, we shall not have the faith and the consequent power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the evils around us.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Mark 9:2–3
The message of the Transfiguration must become, for each of us, a message that inspires the deepest hope throughout life. Through this event, the glory of God was revealed, the teachings of Moses and the prophets were confirmed, and the Father sent forth the only message we need to understand: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” If we can understand this truth and follow this command, we will eternally share in the glories the Transfiguration revealed.
To begin, consider the fact that this revelation, by which the human veil of Jesus’ flesh was lifted, left Peter and the other disciples in a state of holy awe. Peter wanted to remain on the mountain with His transfigured Lord forever. Contrast this to his choice to run when Jesus was arrested and then to deny he even knew Jesus. When he saw Jesus’ sacrifice begin, he ran and hid. But here, when he sees Jesus’ glory, he wants to remain with Him forever.
The first lesson we can take from this passage is that it is much easier to embrace glory than sacrifice. It is much easier to choose that which gives consolation than that which results in fear and confusion. And though this is understandable from the perspective of fallen humanity, it is certainly something we must work to correct in our spiritual lives, just as Peter ultimately corrected in his life.
The Transfiguration was given to these disciples, in part, to help them down the road as the Father invited them to embrace a life of sacrifice. Eventually they would come face-to-face with their own crosses, and they would have to make a decision as to whether they would embrace those crosses out of love. Sacrifice means just that: embracing suffering out of love. One thing that helps one choose sacrificial love is a knowledge of what that sacrifice produces. That is what the Transfiguration provided. By seeing the transfigured glory of Jesus, Peter, James, and John were eventually able to deduce in their minds and hearts that the sacrifice that Jesus foretold would ultimately end in eternal glory.
Though you most likely have never had the experience of seeing the transfigured glory of Jesus with your own eyes, many have received spiritual consolations at various times in life. When this happens, we want them to remain. But they rarely do. Instead, God gives us just a glimpse of His glory so that we can hold on to that memory and use it when we need it the most. And those times will come when we listen to and obey the voice of the Father. “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
Reflect, today, upon the fact that the Jesus Who is now in glory is that same Jesus Who walked the earth. He is the same Jesus Whose teachings are recorded in Scripture. The same Jesus Who suffered injustice. And the same Jesus Who rose victoriously. Our lives are filled with many experiences, as was true of Jesus. Therefore, the only way to unite every experience we have in life is to follow the command of the Father. “Listen to him.” Listen to the voice of the Savior. Follow Him up the mountain of consolation. Remain with Him through every suffering and cross. And listen to everything He teaches. If you do, one day you will, indeed, be invited to remain with Him in glory forever.
Transfigured Lord, along with Peter, I also desire to remain with You forever. Give me the grace I need to always remain with You, no matter where You lead. May I remain with You during every sacrifice I am asked to offer, every suffering I endure, and every consolation that blesses my soul. May I always listen to You and obey Your holy Word. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are the source of all that is good. I thank you for all that you have done for me, for creating me out of love, for sending your Son to redeem me, and for sending your Spirit to sanctify me.
1. The Significance of Caesarea Philippi: On this Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, we read about Peter’s confession of faith in Caesarea Philippi. The back story of the city sheds light on what is happening. During the war between Caesar Augustus and Mark Antony, Heard the Great had supported Antony. When Antony was defeated in the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C., Herod wrote to Caesar Augustus, pledged his fidelity, and began to build three temples in honor of Caesar Augustus. One of these three temples was in Caesarea Philippi. […] “By saying Jesus was the son of the living God, Peter meant that [Jesus] was more than a son of a politically-contrived god, as was Caesar Augustus. Rather, he was professing that Jesus is the Son of the living God – the true Son of the one true God. This would be the question for Peter for the rest of his life and for Christians over the next three centuries as they were told to burn incense to the image of the emperor and worship him or die. Over and over again, Christians would choose to be martyred because they followed in the footsteps of Peter by professing that there is only one living God – and it most certainly was not some Roman Emperor” (Gray, Peter: Keys to Following Jesus, 59).
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