The gift of faith makes us watchers. In the modern age, we have security devices, systems, and firms – we trust in professionals and protocols to keep us safe. While this is very good and practical because it enables us to go about our daily lives without constantly looking over our shoulder, we must never forget spiritual vigilance. We are sentinels, but the first thing we are keeping watch over is not the earthly city. We are watchers over the kingdom of God – a Kingdom (as Jesus reminds us) that is also, and most importantly, within us. When we pray, we are actively fulfilling our duty to keep watch. They eyes of faith enable us to know what is invisible – a kind of paradox of the Christian life. We are to become sentinels and watchers of the invisible. Setting the eyes of our heart upon the invisible God and eternity, we are better situated to warn our fellow brothers and sisters in humanity about the dangers they ignore because they aren’t looking. The vigilant Christian remembers. Remembering is a form of keeping watch for what is invisible. The vigilant Christian remembers constantly that he or she will be leaving this earthly existence behind and only their soul – which is also invisible – will appear before its Creator.
Transfiguration of the Lord
THEODORET OF CYR:
It is fitting for us to know that God is incorporeal, simple and without form and that he admits of no circumscription. Although it pertains to his nature not to be able to be circumscribed, very often to help us he makes use of visions, whenever he wills. And one can see that he appears to Abraham in one way, to Moses in another and to Isaiah in yet another; likewise, he showed Ezekiel still a different appearance. Therefore, whenever you see the variety of revelation, do not think that God has many forms, but rather listen to God as he speaks through the prophet Hosea: “I multiplied the visions, and I was proclaimed in parables in the warnings of the prophets.” He said, “I adopted likenesses,” not I appeared. He fashions in a vision however it suits him. So too blessed Ezekiel, when he had at length pondered on him whom he had seen to consist of gold and fire, added as he narrated the vision, “These things are an image of the glory of the Lord.” And he did not say that he had seen the Lord or even the Lord’s glory but rather something resembling the glory of the Lord.
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
God has established a certain order not only in creation, but also in salvation. He chose and prepared individuals by forming them into a people. This is a very interesting dynamic to consider, because salvation is offered both collectively and individually. A person is saved because they are part of a chosen people and because they themselves want to be saved. We cannot say that one is ultimately more important than the other, but at different moments in our lives the personal and communal dimensions of our faith can play a more prominent role.