They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
(Luke 9:31)
Jesus made no secret of the sacrifice He would make for us, although He sometimes told the disciples to keep still – He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Luke 9:21-22).
Was Jesus really telling them to keep this a secret? Obviously He knew we humans are terrible at keeping secrets, sometimes sharing information we shouldn’t to make ourselves look important. In this case, it seems He wanted His disciples to remember He had told them what was to happen ahead of time so they would better understand, and tell others later that Jesus went to give Himself for us willingly and according to God’s plan.
Loving Lord, thank You for the things You do for us, the extraordinary sacrifice You made, and the love You share with all of us. May we be energetic followers, telling Your Good News to the world.