As the Gospel story was read aloud, I was drawn to St. Peter\u2019s words first words to Jesus, “It is good to be here.”\u00a0 But the Transfiguration gospel also made me recall another story about Peter and Jesus.\u00a0 I\u2019ve just been re-reading one my favorite books titled Walking on Water: reflections on Faith and Art <\/em>by Madeleine L\u2019Engle. In the final chapter titled \u201cFeeding the Lake\u201d, she writes:<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Jesus called Peter to come to him across the water, Peter, for one brief, glorious moment, remembered how and strode with ease across the lake. This is how we are meant to be, and then we forget, and we sink. But if we cry out for help (as Peter did) we will be pulled out of the water; we won\u2019t drown. And if we listen, we will hear, and if we look, we will see.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n That sounds so simple \u2013all we need to do is step towards Jesus and we can partake in the glorious impossibility of walking on water.\u00a0 But the tiny word IF can become a stumbling block — IF we can listen, and IF we can hear.\u00a0 We all are capable of hearing the divine voice, but how quickly we forget to do this!\u00a0 We forget to cry out for help.\u00a0 Scripture tells us Peter was apparently scared both stepping onto the water and when he witnessed the dazzling white light on Mt Tabor as Moses and Elijah suddenly appeared with them. But even in being scared, Peter proclaimed,”It is good for us to be here!”<\/p>\n When I\u2019m scared, that\u2019s the last thing I think of. Usually I want to protect, run the other way, or fight.\u00a0 Many fears come up every day, in relationships, over unexpected events, through anxiety, or perhaps real physical dangers. I mostly want to avoid the things I\u2019m afraid of, rather then proclaim that it may be good that I\u2019m here. I don\u2019t usually remember that perhaps this point of fear is good for me today.\u00a0 For if God brought this fearful point into my life today, instead of running, perhaps I can conquer this fear.\u00a0 Perhaps I, like Peter, can take just a step or two walking across new water.\u00a0 If I don\u2019t listen, and if I don\u2019t look, the alternative might be to miss out on some of the \u201cbrief glorious moments\u201d that God most certainly designs uniquely for us.<\/p>\n L\u2019Engle moves on to write: \u201cThe impossible still happens to us, often during the work, sometimes when we are so tired that inadvertently we let down all the barriers we have built up. We lose our adult skepticism and become once again children who can walk down their grandmother\u2019s winding stairs without touching.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 If<\/em> we listen and if<\/em> we hear\u2026..we can be transfigured in ways we can\u2019t even imagine or understand.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By Melodious Monk This past Sunday we celebrated the feast of the Transfiguration here at the Community of Jesus. Because our church is named after this feast, we always celebrate the feast on the Sunday closest to the traditional feast … Continue reading ![\"The](\"http:\/\/of.communityofjesus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_21891-224x300.jpg\")
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