Gospel Commentary: Consolation and Confirmation

By Fr. John Riley
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The Chief Executive Officer knew the Corporation was at a crossroads. After a year of phenomenal growth, popular support and promising polls, the bottom had fallen out. Several weeks earlier, after an extremely impressive exercise of authority and power on the part of the CEO, an overly enthusiastic crowd, captivated by His charisma, had even invited him to enter the political arena. Shrugging them off, he literally ran away. Then, the next day, it happened. The CEO had revealed to the crowds one of the most intimate realities associated with and required for incorporation in the Organization — some thought, prematurely. Stock plummeted, support dwindled, people left in droves. In a single 24-hour period, the work of an entire year appeared to have been undone.

The CEO withdrew and regrouped with his board. They too were stunned, but they’d cast their lot with the Corporation and seemed determined to see it through. Besides, as the self-appointed spokesman of the group observed, they had nowhere else to go. Not a very promising bunch. The CEO polled his men for their opinions regarding His Person and mission. They hemmed and hawed and answered with limp speculations from the pollsters — each reluctant to commit himself one way or the other. When the lumbering and blundering spokesman of the group finally stepped forward and clearly recognized Him and His proper title, it was a confirmation that the Chairman of the Board has singled him out as the CEO’s eventual successor, and things were looking brighter … for a moment anyway.

As the CEO proceeded to reveal to His group that His term was to be limited and that He would be forced into premature retirement within the year, the spokesman of the group stumbled abruptly forward and showed that he totally misunderstood the CEO’s mission — indeed, he was thinking with the mind of the Competitor. The budding head exec was chewed out in front of the lot of them and sent to the rear.

Time was short … what to do? These men were entirely unprepared for the year ahead, and the CEO knew it. They did not appreciate His vision, nor did they understand the objectives of the Corporation they would soon be leading. As they were passing through a verdant valley, not far from the Sea, they saw a mountain — hardly more than a rolling hill — like a halved pear lying on its side. Ah — a summit conference! The new assistant head exec, subdued after his recent disciplining, together with two of the more promising junior officers, were to accompany the CEO to the top for a high level conference. The two younger fellows, brothers actually, had a bit more on the ball than the newly appointed second-in-command, but were hot-headed, and far too ambitious.

After ascending the smooth slopes of the mountain, finding themselves 1,300 feet above the lush surrounding terrain, the sea a glimmering sapphire in the distance, the three most promising offices of the Corporation — in the company of their CEO — promptly fell asleep.

Awakened suddenly they beheld their CEO in a blaze of glory, light from light — together with two of the founding fathers of the umbrella group which was the forerunner of the Corporation — in dialogue with their CEO about His prospects. Stunned to find their CEO in the company of two such important figures, the three junior associates stood in awe. Struck speechless, but feeling he had to say something, the newly appointed second-in-command began to babble about building booths for these three personages — perhaps another lame attempt to dissuade the CEO from following His dismal projected course.

Then it came. With little warning, in the gathering darkness of an overshadowing cloud … He was there. The Chairman. Not a little irritated with the junior associates’ dimness of vision, His Voice thundered, "This is My Beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased … listen to Him."

Case closed.

When the moment had passed, overwhelmed to the depths of their being, the fishermen barely hear Jesus’ words: "Tell no one of the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead." In the wake of the brief glimpse of glory, the three followers, perhaps a half-step closer to the Truth, still hardly understood the Christ or His Mission, for as they headed down the mountain they continued to discuss among themselves "what the rising from the dead meant."

The apostles were pilgrims on a journey to Jerusalem, Calvary, and the Cross. They experienced times of consolation and desolation, confirmation and correction. Jesus for them at times was a radiant presence close to their souls; at other times, an enigma and a puzzlement, a carpenter and a man … but always something more. As members of the Body of Christ, we follow the same route, at least on the spiritual level. This Sunday’s Gospel account of the Transfiguration reminds us, as it reminded Peter, James, and John, that Jesus is near, He is powerful, He is God, the Eternal and Beloved Son of the Father. Though we journey now through the desert shadows of Lent, punctuated by brief moments of light, our destiny lies before us. Calvary looms, and the Cross of suffering will be present — daily — but the consolation and confirmation of Mt. Tabor and the Resurrection await all who take up their crosses daily and follow Jesus.

Fr. Riley is associate pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Warrenton and professor of Sacred Scripture at Christendom College in Front Royal.

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