Quite often, I have been utterly confused, and a bit thrown off, by God’s plan. I imagine Peter, James and John felt nothing short of bewildered when Jesus took them up the mountain that day. Not only did they witness the appearance of Moses and Elijah, but they heard the resounding voice of God! In response they notably fell flat on the ground and were terrified.
When I become scared and confused, it is easy to forget the way God holds and cares for us. Doing so, I prevent the Lord’s embrace from ridding me of my fears and anxieties. Again and again Jesus has to remind me to “rise up and not be afraid”. If only I could completely internalize this trust so Jesus wouldn’t have to remind me every time I become bewildered! Fortunately, God walks beside us through each step and reminds us to surrender the stress of what we simply cannot control and raise our eyes to the face of Christ.
—Rose-Carmel Goddard is a student at the University of Michigan and is an active member of St. Mary Student Parish in Ann Arbor, MI.