“It is good for us to be here”
2nd Sunday Lent
Ballymore
1 March 2026
My friends,
A young Chinese girl in a recent interview spoke of her experience of music as being so profound for her that it was like a language all on its own. She is a gifted musician, classically trained. She was very shy as a child, so music had an added meaning for her.
In order to further her career, she came to a music academy in Italy. In her study and her visits, she began to be exposed to music that had faith and religious themes as its inspiration. It raised many new questions for her which moved to further enquiry as to the source of these themes and experiences. The entire journey has led her to a conversion to Christianity. The ways of God’s revelation to us are indeed many.
Moments of illumination and inspiration are so important in life – they are often fleeting – they can pass quickly – in which case, we need to revisit them to draw anew from their light and understanding.
The account of the Transfiguration is such a moment in the lives of Peter, James and John. The event as recounted in the Gospel, is immensely rich in meaning as it connects the Old Testament counter with God to help us see the continuity with God’s revealing himself in Jesus.
So many key encounters with God are mountain top moments – they are not easily reached, frequently enshrouded in cloud. The Transfiguration moment seems surreal, and it is in some respects, yet it is so real, in the need in time to make the descent to the everyday demand of life.
It is not unusual for many today to bypass the community journey of faith. The ‘Spirit of the age’ encourages independent search which of itself is important yet risks our creating a ‘God in our own image’. That is where the tradition of the Church comes into its own. As a teacher and guide, the Church possesses a vast corporate memory of spiritual experience, which is invaluable to us individually and as a society. A blessing of social media is that so much of this is now accessible and available to one who is searching. Though it’s vital that you have a good guide in that search.
Peter, on the mountain top wanted to freeze the moment of Transfiguration by desiring to build a tent. It was not possible – such intensity is not sustainable.
So, our intense prayer moments of God’s grace and love are to be cherished. They are the well we can revisit for refreshment when things are difficult and demanding.
