Do Not Be Afraid
“When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
‘Rise, and do not be afraid.’”
Matthew 17:6-7
“Listen to him” were the words the Father spoke at the Transfiguration. At Jesus’s baptism, the Father spoke to the Son “You are my beloved son and with you I am well pleased,” affirming Jesus’s identity as Son. Now, the Father affirms Jesus’s identity once again before the three Apostles and gives them a command “Listen to him.”
Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John up the mountain and was transfigured before them, giving them a glimpse of His glorified state. When Jesus was transfigured Moses and Elijah was present too, representing the Law and the Prophets. When the Voice of the Father spoke, the Apostles covered their faces in fear (for if one should see the face of God they should die) but Jesus touched them and told them to stand up. They no longer needed to fear the Voice or Face of God for they are looking at it now (Jesus) and when they do, not only will they not die, they will be saved. Moses and Elijah were also gone, telling us that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. So then truly as the Father says, we must “Listen to him.”
And what is it that the Lord says that we must listen? To deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Him daily. To go and bear fruit that will last. To feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to visit the sick and imprisoned, to comfort the sorrowful, to spread the Good News. In other words, to love God and love neighbor as yourself.
Brothers and sisters, the Lord invites us up the mountain today to encounter Him, to see His glory, and to listen to His Father’s Voice. Where is the mountain in our lives that the Lord is asking us to climb? Where is that mountain that we rather not go up? Where is that place that we try to not think about because it causes pain and anxiety but we know we must. The Lord waits to encounter us there to bring healing, to cast out all fear with His love, and to raise us up as He did Peter, James, and John. There is no need to fear — no matter how high the mountain, how treacherous the terrain, how dark or scary it is — for we only need to “listen to Him” and His glory will shine forth, casting out all fear and darkness and making all things new.
