Listen more

The story is told about a hunter who invited his neighbor to show him his dog that can walk on water. Sure enough, the dog walked on the water to retrieve every duck they hit. Unable to contain his excitement, the hunter blurted out: “Did you notice anything unusual about my dog?” After some thought, the neighbor dryly said: “Yeah, your dog can’t swim.”

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Today is the Feast of the Transfiguration where Jesus manifested his shining glory to His disciples Peter, James, and John. It was a time for awe and silence before God, but Peter missed the point when he was already talking about building three tents there for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, instead of really listening to God who was speaking.

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What’s the point? The point is that we miss the point because we don’t really listen. Real transfiguration moments do not happen if we talk too much. We should listen more. Let us learn to just let the present moment play and sink in, and not fast-track everything. All too often, we focus on the work of our hands and forget the love in our hearts. Instead of managing things, people, and events, let us learn to be still, to listen, to let go, and let God.

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In today’s Gospel (Matthew 17:1-9), Peter’s excitement was silenced, and his impulse to build, build, build was overshadowed by the Father’s voice: “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” Real transfiguration happens to us if we really focus and listen more to Jesus, and less on ourselves.

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The pandemic made us all stop, look, and listen. It was a big global transfiguration moment for us all in one way or another, and that’s because we took time to look for God, and gave our time to really listen to Him. What happened to our realizations and resolutions we made then? Are we still listening?

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God is still speaking. He is continuously manifesting Himself to us in things, events, and people. A lot of things, events, and people need fixing, but often, in our desire to fix them in haste, all the more we make matters worse. Perhaps we can paraphrase the “Serenity Prayer” thus: Lord grant me the serenity to fix the things I can fix; to let go of the things I can not fix; and the wisdom to know the difference.

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Fr. Joe Panabang, SVD, our Filipino missionary to Ghana, Africa, for 38 years shared with us a lesson from the chicken: the chicken drink water slowly; they don’t drink in a hurry; and the chicken always look up to heaven in thanksgiving to God for every drop of water they take in.

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“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Let us remember this when we are restless and impatient to get things done or to make people get going, or when we don’t seem to be growing, and it seems that nothing is happening. Don’t forget, there is God, and you’re not Him.

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Give grace a chance. Transfiguration moments often don’t happen because we don’t quite give room for God’s grace to operate. Grace gets lost when we rely on our own analysis and understanding, focus on our plans of action to fix or manage a problem, and forget to consult and listen to the Holy Spirit within. Don’t forget the password: CHS.COM! Come Holy Spirit!

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Think about this: “One song can change a moment; one idea can change a world; one step can change your journey; but one prayer can change the impossible” (Unknown).

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A moment with the Lord.

Lord, help me to listen more, talk less, and learn to be still in your presence. Amen.

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