Peter, James, and John go up a high mountain with Jesus and there they see the glory of the Master and hear the voice of the Father who recognizes him as the Son.
An extraordinary experience, face to face with God, allowing his creature to know him in his splendor. Fear has made them fall to the ground, but Jesus touches them and says:
«Get up, do not be afraid».
The verb get up It is the same one with which the Gospel usually expresses the resurrection, just as "do not be afraid" are the first words that the Risen One addresses to the women at the empty tomb after greeting them (Mt 28, 10; cf. 28, 5). Thus, Jesus' words, strong and clear, are a decisive invitation to a new life, which is possible for the disciples with the touch of his hand.
We too are sometimes held back by our fears, burdened by life's trials, by seemingly inescapable situations. We cannot rely solely on our own strength to regain the impetus to bear witness, but rather on the grace of God, who always goes before us.
«Who doesn’t go through trials? These take the form of failure, poverty, depression, doubt, temptation… […] The materialistic and individualistic society that surrounds us, with wars, violence, injustices, is also frightening… Faced with these situations, doubt can also arise: where has God’s love gone? […] Jesus has truly entered into every pain, he has borne all our trials […] He is Love, and it is characteristic of love to cast out all fear. Every time fear assails us, every time we are overwhelmed by pain, we can recognize the true reality hidden there: it is Jesus, who makes himself present […] let us allow him to enter our lives. And then, let us continue to live what God wants of us, throwing ourselves into loving our neighbor. We will discover that Jesus is always Love. Then we will be able to say to him, like the disciples: “Truly you are the Son of God”» (Mt 14, 33)[1].
«Get up, do not be afraid».
Those who have experienced an encounter with God in their lives are captivated by His presence, touched and healed by His Word. Often, the witness of a Christian community accompanies them on this divine journey and provides the encouragement to rise up, to step outside of themselves, and to resume the path with Jesus and with their brothers and sisters.
We share the testimony of a young Syrian woman: «At the end of last year, my country went through a very difficult time, and my city was engulfed in chaos and fear. I was deeply worried about my family, my friends, and myself. Amidst so much uncertainty, I tried to hold fast to my hope in God, striving to be strong despite everything. Before these events, together with the young people with whom I am committed to living the Gospel, we had planned several projects to support families in need through food packages and other initiatives. But this situation forced us to temporarily suspend all activities. After a few days, we managed to get together: in that meeting, we found strength and courage in one another. We decided not to let fear overcome us, but to put our trust in Jesus and resume the path we had begun. With shared faith, we were able to help more than 40 families who truly needed assistance. In the midst of these difficulties, we felt that thanks to God’s love and our unity, we could make a difference.”.
«Get up, do not be afraid».
«After having gone up the mountain with Jesus to find God and hear his voice, we can descend with him to «[…] return to the plain, where we find many brothers and sisters who endure hardships, sickness, injustice, ignorance, material and spiritual poverty.»[2].
«As a Christian community, we too can suffer and become confused, but this Word urges us to move forward together to bring to everyone "the fruits of the experience we have had with God and to share the grace received."«[3].
Letizia Magri and the Word of Life team
[1] C. Lubich, Word of Life, August 2002.
[2] Cf. Francisco, Angelus, 3-16-2014.
[3] Ibid.
