“Get up. Don't be afraid." It's time to testify that God welcomes everyone

Biblical reflections by Brother Shay*, founder of queertheology.com (United States), freely translated by the volunteers of the Gionata Project

We read in Matthew 17,1-9: “Stand the following days, Jesus took with him Peter, James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain. He was transfigured before them: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, speaking with him. Peter then spoke up and said to Jesus: “Lord, it is good for us to be here! If you want, I will make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud enveloped them. And behold, a voice from the cloud said: “This is my Son, the beloved: in him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Upon hearing this, the disciples fell on their faces in great fear.
But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Rise and do not be afraid.” They raised their eyes and no longer saw anyone except Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus ordered them: “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

Lately I've been thinking a lot about changes: big ones and small ones, those that we feel ready to face and those that surprise us, pushing us in directions we hadn't foreseen.

I'm not a person who particularly likes change. I like going back to my favorite places, eating at the same old restaurants, keeping things as they are. It's not that I'm rigid, but I find comfort in stability. However, this year has been marked by significant changes in my life and I have found myself wondering what we can learn from these transformative moments.

A few years ago, I lost a job I'd had for six years. It was a difficult time. I felt angry, hurt, and scared about the future. I felt like I had lost my bearings. I wasn't ready, and it didn't seem like a good thing. However, that loss turned out to be the push I needed. It projected me into a future that proved better than I could have imagined.

But at that moment I couldn't see the good that could come from that situation. In the midst of fear and pain, I didn't want to feel that "it was for the best."

Has something like this ever happened to you? A change you didn't want or didn't feel ready for? How did you feel? What did you do?

In the Gospel story we read, we find the disciples in a similar situation, and this reminds us that we are not alone in our fear or our desire for things to remain as they are. Jesus takes them with him to a mountain and there they have an extraordinary experience. They see the prophets, hear the voice of God, and discover something new about their friend and teacher. But, instead of wanting to come down from the mountain and tell everyone what they had experienced, their first reaction is to want to stay there.

They want to build tents, make that moment permanent, hold on to that feeling of wonder forever. It's a natural reaction. We often seek refuge in stability, especially in a world full of uncertainty. Yet, sometimes what is comfortable and safe keeps us from discovering what God is trying to do in and through us.

Jesus does not allow the disciples to remain on the mountain. He tells them to get up, not to be afraid, and then leads them down to their path. A journey that will take them to Jerusalem, to the pain of the cross, but also to the joy of the resurrection.

I imagine that, in the days following Jesus' death, the disciples thought back to that moment on the mountain. Maybe they wondered if they should have done more to keep him. Perhaps, in their anguish and pain, they wondered what they could have done differently.

Sometimes, closing a chapter brings with it pain and regret. We wish things had gone differently. We still do not see the meaning of what we are going through, and we remain in the “valley of the unknown”.

But the words of Jesus still resonate: “Get up. Don't be afraid."

If Jesus had remained on the mountain, the Gospel message would not have spread. The cross and resurrection are what gave his followers the strength to carry his message into the world. And the same goes for us: even in the most difficult moments, we believe that God is still working, bringing new life from what seems dead.

We don't always know what the future holds for us, but we know that God is calling us to be transformed people, capable of transforming what surrounds us. Our mission remains the same: to be witnesses of a God who welcomes everyone and invites each of us to participate in the construction of his Kingdom.

Jesus still tells us today: “Do not be afraid.” We have the courage to face what comes, knowing that we belong to God, that we are a people of the resurrection. Even from the saddest conclusions, new possibilities can arise.

So today we get up. We come down from the mountain, knowing that we are God's beloved children and that we can face what lies ahead with confidence.

* Brother Shay is a transgender man and a prolific writer, with a deep passion for the integration of spirituality and social justice. She is committed to creating spaces where queer people can feel welcomed and valued in their faith communities. His work combines a personal perspective and in-depth theological reflection to address issues such as belonging, identity and liberation.
On QueerTheology.com, Brother Shay, together with co-founder Brian G. Murphy, promotes an idea of ​​theology that celebrates diversity and offers an inclusive vision of the Gospel, making it relevant to the lives of queer people and their communities.