Holy Wisdom

By Bob von Trebra

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen. Luke 9:28-36

This coming Sunday is the last Sunday before the beginning of the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday, which will be March 5 this year. This Sunday is observed as “Transfiguration Sunday,” because the traditional gospel lesson on this Sunday is the story of Jesus going up a mountain with three of his disciples, and being “transfigured” or changed in appearance.

I did not have a particularly strong upbringing in the Christian faith. My parents would take me and my siblings to Sunday School on occasion when we were young, but I don’t remember much from those days. I completed about 1-1/2 years of a two-year Confirmation class as a youth, but I dropped out before completing the class. As a minister I have taught Confirmation many times, although I have never been confirmed.

But I remember reading the gospels of Jesus when I was a college student, and I was impressed by what I read there. Jesus seemed to teach and live a wisdom that was different from the way that most people lived. He seemed to “shine” brighter than most of the people I knew.

One example of this holy wisdom has been on display in recent political events in this country. Vice-President J. D. Vance, who is a recent convert to the Roman Catholic tradition, said in an interview that his understanding of the faith taught him “that you love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country, and then, after that, you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.”

I think most people would say this is right and good. Maybe it is human instinct.

Pope Francis responded to Vice-President Vance in a letter to the Conference of Catholic Bishops, saying that this was a misunderstanding of Catholic teachings. The Pope wrote, “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. In other words: the human person is not a mere individual, relatively expansive, with some philanthropic feelings!…The true ordo amoris (order of love) that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’ (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.”

I believe this is just one example of how the ways of God, revealed in Jesus, are counter-intuitive and counter-cultural. They can be difficult to live out. They may be unrealistic for governing a nation, but I believe they may be the best hope we have for all people to learn to live together in peace and mutual care on this planet. It is why I became a minister of this good news.

On February 17, Jill and I attended a demonstration at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver, protesting some of the policies of the current administration in Washington, D. C. It was heartening to see people who were opposed to the ways that lives are being disrupted and threatened in our nation. But I was disappointed when the crowd was led in a chant to curse the leaders of the administration. Can we learn to dissent, without demeaning and dehumanizing the people who make those policies and carry them out? That is what my faith calls me to do, and I pray I will find the love and courage to do it.

What about you? What holy wisdom do you see in Jesus that makes him “shine brighter than all the angels heaven can boast?” (from the hymn Fairest Lord Jesus)