18 February 2017
Saturday in the Sixth Week of Ordinary Time
For all of his blunders, Peter’s trust is quite amazing. The Gospel relates that at the Transfiguration, Peter “hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.” But in the midst of that terror and confusion comes an extraordinary statement of faith: “Rabbi, it is good that we are here!” Peter hardly knows what is going on, and in spite of his fear still says that it is good for them to be there. Peter may not know much, but he knows that.
Terror and confusion do not normally bring out the best in us. Some rise above their fear, but for most it brings panic and basic survival instincts. Seeing Moses and Elijah (long dead even then) probably only added to the apprehension. But Peter sees Jesus–he knows that his Rabbi is there. Even before the Father spoke from the cloud, Peter knew the goodness of his situation. Peter sees Jesus and knows it is good. It is fairly straightforward to see God in a moment of beauty or calm–it is much harder to do what Peter did, and see God in a moment of terror.