The Transfiguration and the Tabernacle

Okay, I'll give you a little confession that displays my Catholic geekiness (Catholic--not regular geekiness) Last Saturday night, my Cub Scout Pack held it's Blue and Gold banquet at St. Charles Boremeo. Afterwards, everyone had cleaned the hall and had left and I was collecting some items before locking up and leaving. I was in the part of the school called "The Commons." All of the lights were turned off. The school was dark. The church was dark. But coming through the cracks of door that separates the school from the church was a bright light. I thought to myself, "Self, all of the lights are turned off in the church. Why is that bright light shining though the cracks. Maybe--just maybe, it's Jesus in all his Glory just like during the transfiguration and I can talk to him and my concerns and worries about my future will be wiped away." I went over the door, took a deep breath, grasped the handle, yanked open the door and saw . . . . . . that there just happened to be a light right next to the door that was on.

So much for my vision of Jesus. I just blessed myself in the holy water and went on my way. Interestingly enough, a week later we are celebrating the Transfiguration this week-end at mass. Jesus takes Peter, James and John up the mountain and as he was praying face turned white and suddenly Moses and Elijah were there talking with him. The disciples had been sleeping (notice they are always sleeping during critical moments--as do we) Peter tells Jesus that they should put up three tents. One for Jesus. One for Moses and one for Elijah. Suddenly a could comes over them and a voice from the cloud says, "This is my chosen son; Listen to Him." Next thing you know, the cloud is gone and they are all alone.

I learned something from listening to Mark Hart, (aka "The Bible Geek") this week. The Greek word for tent is "tabernacle." A tabernacle is the box at the front of the church where the Blessed Sacrament is placed between masses. Peter was wanting to make a tabernacle for Jesus at the top of Mt. Tabor where Jesus revealed Himself in his glorified state.

Just as that tent would have been a place for Jesus to stay atop Mt. Tabor, He has a place to stay in every church. Ironically, just past that door that I walked through with the bright shining light was a small chapel where the tabernacle is placed at St. Charles. No, I did not have a vision of Jesus telling me the secrets of the world but I was still in the presence of Jesus. So, next time you are in need to some time with Jesus, you can go to church and plant yourself in front of the tabernacle and spend some time in prayer with Jesus.

So, even though I realize that I was in the presence of Jesus that night----I still think it would have been pretty cool to see Jesus standing there with a bright light coming from him, robes flowing and saying "Jamie . . . I have something to tell you!"