Spiritually Sleep Deprived

A Reflection on the Gospel for March 16th, 2025:
Second Sunday of Lent

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Luke
9.28b-36

​Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to Jesus. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his exodus, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.

Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” but Peter did not know what he said.

While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.

And the disciples kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Sleep. It’s important to get enough of it to function well. Yet sometimes I put it off because there’s too much going on either in my head or literally right in front of me. However, when I’m sleepy, I miss stuff – sometimes really important stuff – and then I sometimes do or say things I don’t mean. Just as Peter does in this Gospel passage.
 
Peter offers to pitch tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, but as St. Luke points out Peter does so not knowing what he is saying. A few lines earlier we read that Peter – and John and James – are “weighed down with sleep.” As a result, Peter totally misses the important stuff that is happening.
 
I don’t sleep well on planes. Travelling long distances, for instance to visit family in the Philippines, can be a challenge. Several years ago, I traveled to the Philippines for Christmas. I left Halifax on December 22 and because of the travel time and time zone changes I arrived in Manila on Christmas Eve. Upon my arrival, like Jesus and His disciples, I was going to pray. My “mountain” was Midnight Mass and, like Peter, I was heavy with sleep – very heavy with sleep. Although Mass was a bit of blur, I specifically remember Communion. As the Communion Ministers took their places I instantly became annoyed. The crowds were huge, and people walked up for Communion all willy nilly, no orderly line, no waiting for a pew to empty before the next pew followed. People cut in front of one another, invading one another’s personal space – invading my personal space. At that moment I realized how Canadian I was being – longing for polite, orderly movement instead of chaos. But, wait a minute – were we not all moving towards Jesus, each of us seeking to receive the gift of Jesus on the night we recall His Light coming into the darkness of our world? Still, in that moment I was too tired to look beyond my annoyance. Like Peter, I wasn’t taking in the moment. I didn’t see the Gift.
 
I can blame the above situation on sleep deprivation, but still I ask myself, “Are there times when I am given the opportunity to encounter Christ in the Eucharist or otherwise and, heavy with sleep, I simply go through the motions instead of knowing?” Yes. There are many times. So, thank goodness for the season we are in. Lent gifts me with the time to intentionally examine where I may be spiritually sleep deprived so that I might take rest in Christ and not miss the important stuff, the people, places, and experiences that awaken me to Christ and recognize what He has done for me, what he continues to do for me, and what He wants to do with and through me. 



Aurea Sadi

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