主題：必須下山
讓我們先了解一些前因後果。耶穌傳福音已有三年，他在斐理伯的凱撒肋雅問他的門徒，在他們的心目中他是誰。當時伯多祿代表一眾師兄弟說，耶穌是默西亞，永生天主之子。耶穌見到天父在眾門徒之中，揀選了伯多祿，把真理啟示給他。於是立伯多祿為教會的磐石，並進一步把默西亞的救贖工程，告訴門徒。即默西亞必先被猶太領袖拒絕，受難而死，第三日復活來徹底擊敗罪惡及死亡。豈料伯多祿原來並不明白默西亞的真正意義，祗以為默西亞是天主派來，把猶太人從羅馬殖民地解放出來的軍政領袖。伯多祿出於善意，想制止耶穌，結果被耶穌責罵是撒殫。耶穌有點兒高估了門徒的實力。門徒不但誤解了默西亞的使命，並且對「復活」，一知半解。可是時間無多了。於是耶穌為三個入室弟子「惡補」，帶領伯多祿、雅各伯和若望，登上大博耳山，把自己復活的光榮顯示給他們，幫助他們克服對死亡的恐懼，並增加他們對復活的熱切期待。
三部對觀福音都沒有記載，耶穌在哪一座山上顯聖容。從第三世紀開始，教父們一般認為是大博爾山。另一方面，梅瑟和厄里亞代表著舊約的法律和先知。舊約所記載的一切，若沒有耶穌，就得不到應驗。沒有耶穌，舊約祗不過是仍未兌現的諾言。耶穌來，是為兌現天主曾應許的所有承諾。
路加福音是一部幫助信徒祈禱默想的耶穌傳。所以，整個顯聖容的過程，有幾個場景，都是幫助我們祈禱默想的好材料。第一，有強烈的光從耶穌身上透出；第二，有梅瑟與厄里亞的相伴；第三，伯多祿希望繼續留在山上；第四，有雲彩遮蔽了他們；第五，有聖父的聲音作証。這些材料，非常適合個人祈禱，例如放工時候，專程返回聖堂，在聖體櫃前，或跪或坐地默想。
今天，我想與大家一起默想，伯多祿不願下山的情節。試想像你是伯多祿，你在高山上，與耶穌一起祈禱。耶穌向誰祈禱？天父。你當然也是向天父祈禱。請記住，每次你祈禱的時候，是耶穌陪伴著你祈禱的。這是多麼幸福的一回事。所以，我們應多祈禱，經常祈禱。
無論如何完美的狀態，都是不能留戀的。人生在世要長進，不能原地踏步。除非你已經到了天堂。好了，你必須要下山，你要偕同耶穌榮進耶路撒冷，一起清理聖殿，共晉最後晚餐，然後三次不認他…待耶穌復活後，你仍有很多拓展教會的工作。現在，亦是默想結束的時候了。希望這份祈禱默想的習慣，帶來良好的經驗。帶著這份良好的經驗，返回俗世去回味，應付日常生活中的各種困難挑戰，好像伯多祿一樣。
以色列人在曠野四十年，沒有聖殿供奉天主。天主指示他們造一個約櫃，安放刻有十誡的兩塊石板，而不可見的天主，就臨現在約櫃之上。以色列人在曠野流浪四十年，當停頓下來時，就會搭一個帳棚，稱為會幕，把約櫃供奉在會幕之內。當天主降臨會幕的時候，就會濃煙密佈，顯示祂的出現，祂的臨在。所以，當伯多祿想搭三個帳棚給耶穌、梅瑟和厄里亞，是有供奉他們的意思。那麼，伯多祿豈不是拜偶像嗎？不是。能從身上透出強烈的光輝，耶穌一定不是屬於這個世界的人，是天主子。厄里亞是公元前九世紀的先知。按【列王紀下】的記載，厄里亞沒有經過死亡，是天主派了一輛噴火的馬車來，接了他升天。今次出現，當然是從天主回來的。梅瑟是公元前一千三百年的人，梅瑟雖然死了，但沒有留下遺體。根據以色列人的傳說，是天主派彌額爾總領天使守護著他的遺體。梅瑟現在出現，表示他也是從天主而來的。所以，伯多祿想搭帳棚供奉耶穌、梅瑟和厄里亞，並沒有犯拜偶像的罪，因為他們三個都是引領我們歸向天主的人物。而偶像卻是引誘我們離開天主的。再進一步推論，我們對聖人和聖母瑪利亞的敬禮，也不是拜偶像。因為他們並沒有引誘我們離開天主。
為甚麼伯多祿感到害怕呢？正如前面提到，天主臨現時，濃煙密佈。今次，是一片雲彩。當門徒在進入雲彩時，他們感到害怕。這是人類在神聖的事物前，被其神聖性所懾服的反應。
你祈禱的時候，可以和耶穌對話，傾訴你的心聲。你亦可以聆聽耶穌與天父交談的內容或語氣。你聽到耶穌對你說話嗎？如果今次沒有，等下一次再試。聽到的話，請記住這聲音。因為在日常生活中，甚至在祈禱之外，當你迷茫之時，這聲音會給你安慰幫助。忽然，耶穌開始透出強光。這光的強度，足以透射出衣服以外，以至耶穌的衣服，看來好像潔白發光。這光現在照射到你身上，亦穿透了你的身體，以至你的五臟六腑，骨骼血脈，清晰可見。更重要的，這光把你的心靈，照耀到清明通透，你更深刻認識到自己的長短，和壓抑了很久，不能面對的內心秘密…這狀態實在太美好了，時間好像停頓了。你想離開這美妙的境界嗎？當然不希望。「師父，我們在這裡真好…」你寧願在這裡，搭三個帳棚來供奉師父，永遠留在這天堂的安樂境界，不願下山，返回充滿鬥爭的俗世去…
天主保祐。
Second Lent Sunday (Year C)
Theme: We must descend from the mountain
Let us clarify the context of this miracle first. Jesus had been evangelizing for three years. In Caesaria Philippi, he asked his disciples what they thought he was. Peter spoke on behalf of all followers and declared that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus knew then that the Father had chosen Peter among the disciples and revealed the truth to him. So he made Peter the Rock of the Church and told them the redemptive mission of the Messiah. That is, the Messiah would be rejected by the Jewish authority, suffered, died and on the third day rose again from the dead to defeat sins and death. To his surprise, Peter did not fully understand the mission of the Messiah. He thought that the Messiah would be a political military leader sent from God to liberate them from the colonial rule of the Romans. Out of good intention, Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from going to meet his death. Consequently, Jesus scolded him Satan. Jesus had overestimated his disciples. But time was running short. So Jesus had to take the three core disciples for an extra lesson. He took them up Mount Tabor to reveal the glory of resurrection to them. He hoped to help them overcome the fear of death and increase their desire for resurrection.
The three Synoptic gospels have not mentioned on which mountain Jesus transfigured. Ever since the third century, Church Fathers have agreed that it was Mount Tabor. On the other hand, Moses and Elijah represented the Law and prophets of the Old Testament. Without Jesus, all the things written in the Old Testament would not be fulfilled. Without Jesus, the Old Testament would only be empty promises. Jesus came to honour the covenant God made with people.
Luke is a contemplative biography of Jesus. Several scenes in the Transfiguration are good materials for prayers. Firstly, strong lights beamed out of Jesus' body. Secondly, Moses and Elijah accompanied Jesus. Thirdly, Peter wanted to stay behind and remain on the mountain. Fourthly, a cloud overshadowed them. Lastly, the testimony of the Father's voice. These scenes are very suitable for personal prayer. For example, you return to Church after your daily work, kneel or sit down in front of the tabernacle to meditate.
Today, let us meditate together the scene where Peter preferred staying on the mountain. Imagine you are Peter. You go up the mountain to pray with Jesus. To whom does Jesus prayer? Heavenly Father. You also pray to the Father. Remember, every time you pray, Jesus prays with you. How happy this is! So, we should pray more.
No matter how perfect the state, we cannot attach to it. In our earthly life, we need to grow and cannot stay in the same square forever, unless we are already in heaven. We have to go down the mountain, accompany Jesus to enter Jerusalem triumphantly, cleanse the Temple together, eat the Last Supper together and deny him three times … After the resurrection of Jesus, there are more works for us to expand the Church. Now, the meditation is over. Hope that this habit of meditation brings us good experience. We bring this good experience back to our secular life, make use of it to combat daily difficulties like Peter.
During the forty-year wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites did not have a Temple to worship God. God gave them clear instructions to build an Ark of Covenant to house the two stone tablets on which God wrote the Ten Commandments. The invisible God resides on the top of the Ark. Whenever the Israelites stopped moving in the wilderness they would build a big tent, called the Tabernacle, to house the Ark in order to worship God. When God descended in the Tabernacle, a billow of thick smoke would indicate the presence of God. So, when Peter wanted to build three booths for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, he intended to build a place to worship them. Then, wouldn't Peter be worshipping idols? Of course not. Emitting strong light from inside his body, Jesus does not belong to this world. He is the Son of God. Elijah was a prophet serving in the 9th century B.C. According to 2 Kings, Elijah did not die. God sent a chariot of fire to take him up. Now that he appeared, Elijah must have come from God. Moses belonged to the 13th century B.C. Although he had died, he did not leave behind his corpse. According to legends of Israelites, God sent Archangel Michael to guard over his body. Now that Moses appeared, once again it showed that he came from God. Therefore, when Peter intended to build three booths for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, he did not commit the sin of idolatry because these three lead us to God while idols tempt us away from God. Furthermore, when we honour the saints and BVM, we are not worshipping idols because they do not lead us away from God.
Why was Peter afraid? As it was mentioned before, God is shrouded in thick smoke when He appears. This time, it was a cloud. When they entered the cloud, they were afraid. It was a natural reaction when men were overwhelmed before sacred beings.
When you pray, you talk with Jesus, telling him what in your heart is. You can also listen to the conversation between Jesus and the Heavenly Father, the contents or the tone. Do you hear Jesus speak to you? If not, next time. If you do, keep this sound in mind. It is because in our daily life, even in time outside our prayers, in time of distress, this sound will give us consolation. Suddenly, Jesus begins to radiate strong lights. The intensity of the light is so strong as to penetrate his clothes so much so that his clothes become dazzling white. Now, this light comes upon you, penetrate your body so that your organs, bones and blood vessels become visible. More importantly, this light so brightens up your heart and soul that you are able to know your strength and weakness, as well as darkness, repressed secrets which you do not find the courage to confront etc. This state of mind is so wonderful. Time seems stopped. You do not wish to separate from this state. "Master, it is well that we are here …" You prefer staying here to build three booths for Jesus. You desire to stay in this heavenly happy state forever. You don't want to come down the mountain to return to secular conflicts in our daily life …
God bless.
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