UNDERSTANDING
"He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands." Mt 17:11-12
My mom and I used to go to Europe every 2 years together. The tradition started when she told my sisters and me about her stage 4 kidney disease diagnosis. She wanted to travel before dialysis started. She had a bucket list. I reluctantly complied.
Mom always picked a holy land, and I fill in the gap with fun activities. Our first trip was to the Vatican. We walked all over Rome, Venice, Florence, and ended in Paris. Our second trip was to Lourdes. We drove from Barcelona through the French Alps to get to Lourdes then drove around Spain to visit saints on our way back to Barcelona. Our last trip before the pandemic was to Fatima. We spent time in Portugal and ended in London. As the years progressed, her time exploring the cities dwindled. On our last trip, she told me she was tired. I brushed it off as maybe the food or climate didn’t suit her. It didn’t hit me until we got to the airport to fly back that it was her health that caused her tiredness.
The conversation between Jesus and the disciples in today’s gospel reminds me of the conversations with my mom. The disciples didn’t understand the prophecy about Elijah and asked Jesus for clarification. In His explanation, Jesus was also preparing the disciples for what’s to come – “so also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” The disciples misunderstood and thought Jesus was talking about John the Baptist and not himself.
How often do we misunderstand or are unable to hear Jesus’ words because of our busyness or selfishness? I pray for understanding but I haven't stopped multitasking to actively listen. Today I invite you to join me in opening our ears, hearts, and minds to listen to Jesus’ words. Breathe in and let the words soak into our soul.
What is Jesus trying to explain to me today?
Kath Tran