The shadow of the cloud

Some people are afraid of the dark. Some people are afraid of fog. They feel secure only when the world of their senses is clear.

Indeed, many people in the world today seek security and happiness through the world of their senses, such as St. Paul says in the long form of today’s second reading (Philippians 3:17-4:1):

Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.

In contrast, both today’s first reading (Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18) and today’s Gospel (Luke 9:28b-36) feature personal and powerful encounters with God in a “deep, terrifying darkness” or frightening, overshadowing cloud.

But for the people who seek security and happiness through the things of this world, St. Paul has a very clear message: Their end is destruction.

The truth is that the world of our senses offers no real security and only diminishing flashes of quasi-happiness: no matter what we see or do not see, we are going to die, and in the end, earthly pleasure will always disappoint.

But our citizenship is in heaven, where we will be eternally secure and continuously fulfilled in the light and the love of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And so we must not be afraid of the cloud of God’s mysterious will and presence and cast away our foolish reliance on the treachery of this world’s “sensibilities.”

Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.