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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me pay attention when someone "talks with their hands!" Amen.

Jesus went up a mountain to pray with Peter, James and John. But, as He prayed, Jesus' clothes got brighter and brighter, until the Apostles couldn't look at Him! Moses and Elijah appeared, and a voice from heaven said, "This is my chosen Son. Listen to Him." Then the light faded, and the Apostles were alone with Jesus.

Are you a kid who "talks with your hands?" That means you emphasize what you're saying by making a lot of hand gestures. A lot of people who have that habit don't even realize they're waving their arms around, pointing their fingers or pounding a fist on a desk -- but the people listening sure know they're making their point!

This week's Gospel story (Luke 9:28-36) is about another way of making a point. We call it the "transfiguration," a word that means "big change."

Jesus has been trying to get His closest followers, the Apostles, to understand that He really is the Son of God. Sometimes, they seem to understand; other times, it feels like they don't quite get it, even though they see that Jesus knows all about God and can do miracles.

So, God does something dramatic to make them understand: Jesus suddenly becomes as bright as the sun -- maybe kind of the way He would look in heaven -- and God the Father speaks to Peter, James and John from heaven, telling them directly that Jesus is His Son and they should listen to Him.

Moses and Elijah, famous holy men from the past, also appear to confirm that, yes, Jesus is the Son of God and came from heaven.

When someone talks with their hands, you tend to pay attention. God was trying to make the Apostles pay attention with a big gesture, too.

Jesus didn't have much time to do His work on Earth. He only spent about three years teaching people about God before He was crucified, died and went back to heaven.

Jesus had to make His point quickly, so God the Father helped. The transfiguration was Jesus' version of talking with His hands to make His point clear![[In-content Ad]]

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