Gen. 12:1-4, Psalm 33, 2 Tim. 1:8-10, Matt. 17:1-9

Life is an exciting journey. It is full of experiences. Some of those experiences are memories worth to remember, to be cherished, and shared with others. We also have moments in our lives when we feel that our experiences are worth hiding and keeping for ourselves.

This happened in October 1993 during a civil war that broke out in my country, Burundi. I was in a Catholic boarding school with my elder sister. The evening of October 22, 1993, we were forced to flee the school dorms as we were targeted to be killed. When we left the school, the only thing that I carried with me was my Divine Mercy Novena booklet. My sister and I held hands as we were walking through the forests and woods. A huge mob was following us, to kill us. We started running, not knowing where we were going. After a short distance my sister tripped and fell. When I was trying to help her get up, she instructed me to keep running as fast as I could. Those were her last words to me.

Here is when the Lord showed up with his protecting power. After my sister was killed, I did not have any energy to run or walk, but I knew I should do it for her.  I grabbed my booklet out of my pocket and held it the way I was holding my sister's hand. It did not take long to find myself in the midst of another mob with all sorts of sharpened machetes. They had gathered a few other students. We were standing on top of a hill. There was a valley down below, and another hill across. While the mob was discussing how to kill us, a special force lifted me up and I miraculously found myself on the other hill. I was all by myself. Out of nowhere, I saw four people, complete strangers, who took me to their house and hid me for the night. I am certain those were angels sent by God.

A new chapter in my life started on that day. The disciples Peter, James, and John, who Jesus took with him to the mountain of Transfiguration, were instructed not to tell anyone what they had seen and experienced. Jesus might have given them this specific instruction to protect them from being disappointed because we can get thrown off when we tell others what the Lord has done in our lives, and they do not believe it. For many years I prayed, asking God for the courage and words to share my testimony and tell everyone how God had miraculously rescued me the day that my sister was murdered. For a long time, I listened to the lies of the enemy that told me that no one would believe me. I cared more about the response that I was expecting to get, rather than testifying to the Lord’s power and glory.  In His merciful and infinite love, God patiently convinced me through His Holy Spirit, that giving my testimony as thanksgiving would honor Him. I have been inspired by Psalm 118:17 which says, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”

I feel so blessed that the Lord has given me the grace to look at my life’s journey, and to share how the Lord rescued me by His mighty power when I was in the valley of the shadow of death.  This was real transfiguration in a different form. Whenever I try to make sense of things with my understanding, God always reminds me of the miraculous moment when He rescued me from death. Just as this constant reminder comes to me, God desires that it comes to you as well.

I pray that you are aware of the transfigurations in your life. These are moments that never leave us the same, when we allow the Lord to open our eyes, and see what He wants us to see.

Frediane Nzosaba is married to Aime. They are blessed with three beautiful girls whom they are raising in the Catholic faith. The family is gifted in so many ways but mostly in hospitality and service. We love being part of the Holy Family community.