Listen to him. 

I have often wondered, likely as have many others, what it must have been like to listen to Jesus. I wonder about his voice, his mannerisms, and his tone. I wonder what it would have felt like to be in a crowd and for his eyes to rest on me, even for a moment. What if he were speaking only to me, one-on-one? For reasons like this I envy those who had the chance to walk with him and hear him. 

Today's readings, at first, seem to be about speaking; more specifically, humanity's misuse of speech. We have a knack for taking extraordinary gifts and misusing them, don't we? As James tells us, this need not be so.

As it turns out, today's readings are not about speaking at all. At least, not about our speaking. After seeing Jesus transfigured, Peter speaks although He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then comes the Father's voice from the clouds: This is my beloved Son. Listen to him. 

Listen to him.

Unlike Peter, James and John we did not see Jesus transfigured. Unlike Jesus' contemporaries, we have not heard his voice with our own ears. Is it a taller order for us to carry out the Father's command here and now than it was for Peter, James and John who saw and heard these things? I don't know. But I'm inclined to keep trying.