Read Online
“Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three
tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
Matthew 17:4
The Apostle Peter’s reaction to the Transfiguration reveals that he
was overwhelmed by his firsthand experience of a glimpse of Jesus’
true glory. Not long before this moment, our Lord took His
disciples north to Caesarea Philippi and asked them privately who
they thought He was. Peter boldly proclaimed, “You are the Messiah,
the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). In response, Jesus
promised Peter that He would build His Church upon him and that
Peter himself would be entrusted with the keys to the Kingdom of
Heaven. It was a good day for Peter.
Shortly after this, however, Jesus began to reveal to His disciples
that He “must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders,
the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third
day be raised” (Matthew 16:21). In response, Peter pulled Jesus
aside and said, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen
to you” (Matthew 16:22). Jesus replied harshly to Peter’s rebuke:
“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking
not as God does, but as human beings do” (Matthew 16:23). It was a
bad day for Peter.
Jesus then taught His disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me
must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever
wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life
for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25). Not only was Jesus
soon to suffer greatly, but His followers, including the Twelve,
were called to follow Him on this difficult path. This was hard
news for them to accept.
In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of the Transfiguration.
Interestingly, Jesus allowed the disciples to reflect on His
prediction of suffering for six days before taking Peter, James,
and John up a mountain for prayer and solitude. Jesus, aware of
their confusion and struggles, was transfigured before their eyes.
“His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him”
(Matthew 17:2–3). Peter exclaimed in this moment of glory, “Lord,
it is good that we are here.” It was another good day for
Peter.
We all have good days and bad days. But what defines a good day
versus a bad day? Was the day of Jesus’ Crucifixion a bad one for
Him? Certainly not. Though filled with intense suffering, it was
the most glorious day in history because His perfect obedience to
the Father’s will was fulfilled. Similarly, Peter’s good and bad
days can be understood in terms of his willingness to obey Christ,
especially when the demands were great.
In our lives, we must also define our good and bad days through the
lens of obedience to God’s will, especially when His will calls us
to bear the Cross and practice sacrificial love. It’s easy to love
God when we are consoled, but it becomes much more difficult when
we face trials. Peter’s declaration, “Lord, it is good that we are
here,” is the perfect prayer for us to echo in every circumstance.
When we are consoled, as Peter was at the Transfiguration, we must
pray this prayer. But unlike Peter’s earlier missteps, we must also
say, “It is good,” when we encounter opportunities for sacrificial
love, even when difficult.
Reflect today on your own good and bad days. Use the lens of holy
obedience and your call to live a life of sacrificial love. Do not
hesitate to cry out to the Lord, “It is good!” Consider whether you
view every cross and every invitation to love sacrificially as
something good. This is what God desires for you; embrace His
desire with determination and joy.
My sacrificial Lord, You embraced the Cross and saw it as truly
good. You looked beyond the suffering and saw the fruits of Your
sacrifice. Help me to imitate You by seeing every act of
sacrificial love as the good I desire. I love You, Lord. Help me to
love You and others with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in
You.
Image: Transfiguration of Jesus Christ by José Luiz Bernardes
Ribeiro, CC BY-SA 3.0
Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com —
Copyright 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This
content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use.
Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use
within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without
written permission.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.