This weekend, we will celebrate our Lord’s transfiguration, that wondrous event when Peter, James and John were on a mountain with Jesus when suddenly His full divine glory was revealed to them as His appearance dramatically changed and Moses and Elijah appeared speaking with Him. Then the voice of the Father spoke, identifying Jesus as His Son and calling them to listen to Him. Matthew tells us: When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. (Matthew 17:6–8, NIV)

It would be natural for Peter, James and John, after experiencing the wonder of the Transfiguration, to have an even stronger desire to follow Jesus. He is all they need. Yet we know that when fear set in weeks later in the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus’ enemies came to arrest Him, they ran away instead of sticking with Jesus. I wonder if Peter, James and John kept hearing echoes of the Voice that had told them, “Listen to Him!” and Jesus’ own words, “Don’t be afraid”?

As we gather around the Word and the Sacraments in worship and spend daily time reading the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit would have us hear those same words. There are plenty of other voices around us vying for our attention. And, truth be told, sometimes they lead us away from faithful dedication to following our Lord and lead us instead to predicaments which leave us filled with fear. Which is why the same word that calls us to know who Jesus is points us to what He has done on the cross that we might not be afraid. Instead, we can know the peace of sins forgiven and, through the Spirit’s working, a renewed dedication to following our Lord in praise and thanksgiving. Our God has revealed Himself to us as a God of love and mercy. And as on February 22 (Ash Wednesday) we begin the observance of Lent, we have the opportunity to again listen to the Word and ponder the wondrous account of the cost of that love.