Eyes of the Heart and Soul

The hidden world revealed by the Transfiguration

Peter, James, and John received quite the shock when they ascended to the mountain to pray with Jesus. “Behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. (Matt 17:3) Peter, James, John had prayed with Jesus before. And it was only a short six days earlier that Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” (Matt 16:13). 

Now on the the mountain here Jesus was transfigured before the three of them. His face shining like the sun and his garments white as pure light. (Matt 17:2)  A mere glimpse of His glory on display. Overcome and filled with the Holy fear of God, Peter made the suggestion of building booths. Peter not fully realizing what was taking place, was he suggesting that Moses and Elijah were on the same level of Jesus? Yet, if he could have been able to overcome His fear, perhaps he would have recalled his response to Jesus that moment six days ago. That it was he whom the Father had provided the answer to who Jesus was, when Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt 16:16). 

What proof had Peter to respond this way? Was it not the eyes of his heart given over to Faith that allowed the Holy Spirit to deliver that answer from the Heavenly Father through Peter’s lips? Jesus was not transfigured that day. As a matter of fact Jesus had been rebuking the Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to test him. They were asking Jesus to show them a sign from heaven. He replied that they understood how to interpret the appearance of the sky, how come then were they unable to interpret the signs of the times?!  He went on to rebuke them even further by stating that, ” it is an evil and adulterous generation that seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” (Matt 16:1-4)

Wasn’t it their hard hearts that was keeping them from “seeing” the Truth in Jesus. The Truth in His actions. The Truth in His word. Jesus had told them their eyes were the Lamp of the Body (Matt 6:22), thereby reflecting what desires they had in their hearts. It was this failure of listening to their heart and listening for the Father to speak to it and through it that was making the Pharisees and Sadducees unable to see. Now it is this same failure to turn inward that was giving Peter, James, and John difficulty seeing Jesus clearly on the Mountain. The difference is that their hearts were only confused and not closed off. When a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”, they responded by falling on their faces in homage, and allowing themselves to be filled with awe. (Matt. 17:5-6). Do we become so focused on our own truth, that we fail to see the Truth the Father from heaven is providing us? Has our quest to be right blinded us from the Truth?

The Truth that the unborn were made in the image and likeness of Jesus. The Truth that like Him they are beginning their lives inside their mother’s womb. The Truth that like Jesus, the unborn also want to give unconditional love to those willing to receive them.