Daily Lesson for October 14, 2016

Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 9 verses 28 through 36:

28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

There is a very influential medieval reflection on the meaning of prayer called "The Cloud of Unknowing".  In it, the anonymous author traces the path to knowing God as a way of "unknowing".  To come to truly know God is to "unknow" so much of what we think we think we know about God. This is the way of contemplation -- the path of knowing God beyond and in many ways contrary to what we know about God.  This is the way of prayer.

Peter thinks he knows the way of God. But Peter's way of thinking is his biggest problem. For Peter, the way of God is triumph, greatness, and glory.  It is the way of ascent.  It is the mountaintop experience. It is Mt. Olympus.

But Jesus is speaking now of another way.  It is a way of triumph, greatness, and glory; but it is a different way.  The way must first be suffering and death.  It is not the way of Mt. Olympus. It is the way of Calvary.

A mist descends. What could be seen is now unseen.  What was certain is now uncertain. What was known is now shrouded in mystery.  It is the Cloud of Unknowing.

And now the voice speaks, from the cloud “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”