Day 3 of the Novena
An Abiding Dream
Brother André had a dream about devotion to Saint Joseph. He laid out a way up the mountain for us. We climb to the Oratory, we mumble our petitions, we have a heart to heart, then we go back down the mountain. Joseph also had a dream…. He took Mary to himself and led the Child to the threshold of a great mission.
On the mountain top, the face of Jesus flickers in our eyes, as it flickered on the furrowed brows of our forebears: Abraham, Moses, Elijah… Peter, James and John. It flickers beneath the slumbering eyelids of those who have already gone before us, having been healed, taken hope to themselves, and died peacefully. Jesus’ Transfiguration is the passing over of a witness, traversing the great chain of believers who extend discipleship even to our day.
Should it happen that we find ourselves one fine day in The Cloud, it would be kind of nice to fantasise: “Well, we could put up three tents, right?” (We don’t quite know what we’re saying, but heck, we are talking to JESUS!) We mumble our petitions, our gripes, and our thank yous.
And then it’s time to keep quiet, in a heart to heart, to listen to the voice of the Father in a long-distance call from God: Quit your homeland…. Pay attention to my beloved Son. Jesus is climbing down with us. The plain has changed!”
