Transfiguration

"Transfiguration" by Raphael

We celebrate today the feast of the Transfiguration, the occasion when Jesus appeared with Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor. With them were the apostles Peter, James and John. After Jesus was surrounded by a cloud of bright light, Peter uttered a phrase that has remained quite significant and controversial in some ways. He was instantly overcome with a state of euphoria, and wanted to somehow crystallize himself in that moment, when he said to Jesus “Lord, it’s so good for us to be here, let me build three booths here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 
We act like Peter sometimes when we’re enjoying life and going through a stress-free period of our life. We are on vacation, enjoying a beautiful trip, a spectacular scene, spending time with friends, and we don’t want it to end. We feel on Cloud Nine and want it to last forever. But reality is different, just as it was different with Peter and the other disciples - there was much work waiting for them, especially after Jesus went up to heaven. It is the same with all of us. Vacation time will soon be over, and many people will be back to work, back to their normal routine. Hopefully the joyful euphoria they experienced will help them spread a spirit of happiness and joy around them, as was the case with the apostles after the took over the baton from their Master and led Christianity through its first few years.