CAUGHT BY SURPRISE
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| Catching Ruthie by surprise when we were first married. |
Have you ever been caught by surprise? “Life is full of
surprises,” the old adage goes. The apostles were caught by surprise in today’s
Gospel. Seeing Jesus transfigured was the last thing they were expecting when
they reached the top of the mountain. Nor were they expecting the wonderful
surprise of Moses and Elijah carrying on a conversation with Jesus. Then they
were caught by surprise when the dark cloud enveloped them. Joy was quickly
replaced by alarm and dismay. Are our lives any different? We are caught up in
life’s joyful surprises, birthday parties, marriage proposals, and the arrival
of children. We are also caught up in life’s shocking surprises like emergency
phone calls in the night, a serious health prognosis, and being asked for a
divorce. 12 years ago I was driving north on Highway 21 when all of a sudden a
car going south suddenly veered into my lane and hit me head-on. In an
instance, my life changed drastically and dramatically. It was during my
recovery that I discovered that whether the surprise that catches us is good or
tragic, God is present. God is not just around for the good surprises, but is
all the more present when we are caught by the negative surprises. God, the
loving parent of Jesus, was present to him in his passion and death, and
present to him in his resurrection. So God, our loving parent, will always
remain present to us in the good and in the bad surprises of our lives. When
God said from the dark cloud, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased,”
God was not only talking about Jesus, but about you and me who are his beloved
children. Does that catch you by surprise?
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