Reflection on Matthew 17:15
Do you remember the phrase that was very popular a number of years ago: “What would Jesus do?” Often in life, when we are stuck on something or want guidance, we wonder how Jesus would handle it.
Do you know God the Father’s words are in the Bible as well as Jesus’ words? Reading God’s words in the Bible can help us as we work to live our lives as He calls us to do.
August 6 is the feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus. 💖 When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain in the presence of Peter, James, and John, they heard a voice say:
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
Matthew 17:5
What God the Father reveals in Matthew 17:15:
In this one statement, God the Father reveals three things to us:
- Jesus is the beloved Son of God.
- God the Father is pleased with Jesus.
- God wants us to listen to Jesus.
These three are important things to remember and to put into practice in our own lives. We can:
- Believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
- Believe that the Father is pleased with Jesus.
- Choose to listen to Jesus and follow Him in our lives.
Live out what God the Father reveals in Matthew 17:15:
The first two beliefs are not ones we can just believe and then move on with our lives. They are active beliefs. This means that they influence how we live our lives and the choices we make day to day.
For example:
- When we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we participate in the Mass in a more personal way as we listen to the readings and receive Jesus, His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, in the Holy Eucharist.
- When we believe that the Father is pleased with Jesus, we want God to be pleased with us, too. We know that we need to imitate Jesus and follow Him for this to happen. God loves us unconditionally. Because of this, we want to please Him. Imitating and following Jesus is a roadmap for us to be able to do this. Jesus is our guide.
- We have free will to follow Jesus or not. When we choose to listen to Jesus and follow Him in our lives, we use our free will to decide to be in closer communication with Jesus and God the Father, Who is our Father, too.
God is so good.
If you are interested in reading all of the Mass readings for the feast of the Transfiguration, you can find them here: Mass readings
God will one day call us home.
One year on the Feast of the Transfiguration, my brother Daniel passed away. God called him to his eternal home. It struck me as a beautiful day to enter Heaven–the day we celebrate Jesus’s Transfiguration–since upon our deaths we will transition from this earthly life to a life in Heaven and be transformed in the presence of Christ.
To be a saint in Heaven is our goal. Not only is it our goal, but God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, our Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the hosts in Heaven want this for us as well! Imagine them waiting for us, looking down on us.
We can ask ourselves: How can I live my life today with my goal as Heaven? The answer to this one question will influence our actions, words, and thoughts throughout the day and take us closer to Heaven, our eternal home.
May we take God the Father’s words in Matthew 17:15 to heart about Jesus, His beloved Son, and follow Him faithfully, with His help, in our lives.
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