NOT  FAIR

[The title of my reflection for this 2^nd Sunday in Lent [A] is on today’s gospel is “Not Fair.”  Cf. Matthew 17: 1-9.]

Sometimes Jesus is not fair.

Sometimes life is not fair. God is not fair. Others are not fair. Those we live and work with:  they are not fair.

And I guess it’s important to learn about fairness - probably from the very beginning - when we are little kids - when we begin to notice the size of the other kids’ pieces of cake or amounts or ice cream in their bowl - compared to ours - and that can be pretty early on - even in high chair and wearing a baby bib times.

Sometimes there is a kid that never seems to check  other people’s plates. They just seem to enjoy the grey oatmeal  that they get - while an older sister always gets the colorful Fruit Loops. They love the Christmas present they get - the seat in the car they get. Good. They don’t scream that so and so got a better deal  - a better job - a better husband - a better wife - better children - a better life - a better piece of roast beef - even one with too much gristle.

Sometimes Jesus is not fair.

He only took Peter, James and his brother John up the mountain that day.

It was a beautiful day to climb a mountain.

Not all days are the same.

Some people think God is unfair.

Judas stood there looking at the backs of Peter, James, John and Jesus - getting smaller as they went up the dirt and rock trail that day.  Not fair.

Not fair being left behind….

Judas often had this itchy complaint about Jesus. He would inwardly grumble: “It seems that Jesus favors Peter. He seems to be afraid of the way James and John complain - so he caters to them too. And Peter’s brother Andrew seems to get left out - till Jesus needs to find out - if anyone in the  crowd has some bread.”

Judas  tended to whisper behind people’s back. Jesus whispered to himself a few times. “I think Judas thinks he made a wrong choice in following me.”

Judas whispered  to Matthew - and then Thomas - and then Philip, “Jesus doesn’t seem to like criticism - especially the criticism that he plays favorites.”

Jesus knew his disciples wanted to be looked up to - by the crowds - just as Jesus was looked up to - by some people in some crowds. And when Jesus said something that angered folks, his other apostles would think, “Stupid. Do miracles. Come up with more bread and more fish. You’re coming up with too many complaints from too many people. You’re going to get yourself crucified one of these days - and then what about us? “That’s an uh oh!”  That’s a, “Not fair!”

So Jesus left the crowds that day - as well as the other apostles - and took Peter, James and John up the mountain.

The higher they climbed, the more they could see.

Things become clearer - plainer - high above the plains - up there above the down below.

Peter felt good about being with Jesus up there on the mountain.

Mountain air can clear the nostrils and the brain - but it can also go to one’s head  with big thoughts.

Peter  could see the Sea of Galilee down below in the distance.

The smell of fish was no longer on his hands or in his robes.

Too often he fished all night and caught nothing - but ever since Jesus caught him - with that great catch of fish that morning - this was a good move - following Jesus. 

People knew him by name now. Nobody knew him when he was just a fisher of fish.  Everyone now knew him as a fisher of people - now that he was working the net with Jesus.

James and John felt great - being the other two chosen ones - on the mountain that day.

Their mother wanted them to be number one and two with Jesus - when Jesus  came into his kingdom - or whatever he was about.  Here they were two and three. Mom take a look us now.  The other guys are down below - not knowing what Jesus had in mind for us today. “Look at us - moving up the ladder of success and fame.”

The four stopped. They rested. They looked. They listened.

They saw Jesus’ face shine like the glisten off the granite rocks on the mountain. Jesus was transfigured before them.

Moses and Elijah - two of the great Hebrew prophets appeared - on the scene with Jesus - and Jesus was talking with them.

Woo, the 3 of them, Peter, James and John, were in the presence of greatness - Moses, Elijah, and Jesus - big time, star time, greatness.

3 simple fishermen - from that sea down there - were now high on the mountain - at the edge of greatness.

Peter burst out with the words, “Lord, it is good that we are here.  If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Then this bright cloud cast a shadow over the whole scene and from the cloud they heard the words, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him.”

This scared Peter. This scared James and John, known by those who knew them as the ‘Sons of Thunder.’”

They fell to the ground - very much afraid - but Jesus came and touched them and said, “Rise, and do not be afraid.”

They looked up and they saw no one else but Jesus.

The transfiguration of Jesus was over.

They had to climb back down the mountain.

What goes up, must come down.

The disfiguration of Jesus was about to begin - but Peter, James and John didn’t know that yet.

They wouldn’t know - what that day was about -  what his betrayal, his arrest and crucifixion - were about -  till way after Jesus was raised from the dead.

They walked back down the mountain - each of the 3 picturing themselves telling the other apostles - Peter telling his brother Andrew - James and John telling their mother and family members - what they saw that day.

They didn’t say to themselves, “Wow this will impress people!”

But they knew what everyone knows when they see a fire or a great movie or a great moment, “I need an audience.”

Jesus must have been reading their minds - he always seemed to do that to people - so Jesus said to them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

And all three - hearing that - dropped their heads - and inwardly moaned and groaned, “Unfair. Unfair. Unfair.”