Jesus says "not yet"

Jesus, help me to wake my parents up only when they say it's okay! Amen.

Jesus took Peter, James and John up a mountain. All of a sudden, He began to change. His clothes got as bright as the sun! The prophet Elijah and Moses appeared, too. God the Father said from heaven, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him" -- and then they were alone with Jesus again. "Don't tell anyone what you saw," He told them.

Lots of kids love to wake their parents up in the morning. Of course, lots of parents like to sleep late when they can, so they make rules about when you can wake them up: when the clock says "7:30," or after you're done watching "Rugrats" on TV.

If you've tried to wake your parents up too early, you've probably been told, "Not yet!" It's not that they don't want to get up and start the day; they just want a little more sleep first!

In this week's Gospel (Mark 9:2-10), the Apostles learn about "not yet." Jesus shows them what He looks like when He's in heaven, all bright and glowing, proving to them that He really is the Son of God. God the Father even tells them that's true!

But then God the Father reminds them to listen to Jesus, and Jesus says, "Not yet": He asks the Apostles not to tell anyone what they saw yet. Jesus does want everyone to know that He's really God; He just wants to help more people get closer to God first.

Trying to wake your parents up in the morning is sort of the same thing. You might think it's a great idea to jump on their beds and get them up right away, but they know they'll be in a better mood if they sleep for a while longer.

Kids and Apostles can both learn that "not yet" doesn't mean "not ever!"