178-Day Walk

Beginning a new Catholic school year with Jesus

08/06/2025

Luke 9:28b-36 Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up a mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

Have you ever read J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy called “The Lord of the Rings”? I once heard it described sarcastically as, “Just a bunch of guys going for a really long walk.” On the surface of the story that certainly seems true – it is a long walk – but that’s a pretty shallow assessment of what is really unfolding in the plot. Let me give you a sample of the beauty and depth of Tolkien’s writing.

Bilbo, who has gone on a long walk with a bunch of guys in the first book called “The Hobbit”, warns his nephew: “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” That is, going out your door is a dangerous business, but also a highly rewarding business, because out your door awaits adventure.

Today is the Feast of the Transfiguration. Jesus Body is transfigured gloriously before the eyes of Peter, James, and John. Interestingly, in the gospel of Luke the Transfiguration occurs immediately before Jesus and the apostles head off the last time for Jerusalem where our Lord would be crucified. In other words, the Transfiguration marks the starting point where another “bunch of guys go for a really long walk.”

Just like Bilbo both warned and encouraged Frodo about his long journey, so Jesus Transfiguration is both a warning and an encouragement. How so? Well, he has already told them that in Jerusalem he will suffer and die. But now he assures them it will finally result in glory and resurrection. Walking with Jesus is indeed a dangerous business but in the end it will also be a richly rewarding business, namely, heavenly glory.

I think it is pretty easy to compare our experience of starting a new school year with the analogy of “a bunch of guys going for a really long walk.” In fact, we are about to embark on a 178-day walk! But the good news is we are journeying with Jesus, who can always “transfigure” – pun intended – the dangerous business of a school year into a richly rewarding business. Jesus’ grace always transforms apparent tragedy into absolute triumph.

Let me ask you to keep one lesson in mind about every time a bunch of guys goes for a really long walk. Every school year, walking and talking, learning and loving, and even studying and suffering together helps us get to know each other better, and even get to know ourselves better. Have you noticed this? And one thing we discover is that each person has special talents and gifts. Everyone without exception.

The bunch of guys that traveled with Frodo included an elf, a dwarf, a wizard, and a king. Each made an invaluable contribution to the success of their journey. So, too, with the apostles: each had talents and of course temptations and they all contributed to reaching the end of Jerusalem, and then in helping the Gospel to reach the ends of the earth. Each individual is indispensable.

I know you teachers and staff will help your students to discover their unique gifts and talents this coming 178-day journey. But let me encourage you to also notice each other’s gift and talents. One may be good at music (Ms. Stoddard), another in math, another teacher in motivating sluggish students, another has a heart for the struggling student, etc. Of course, each teacher and staff person has our own weaknesses and limitations, too.

It can be easy to focus on the weaknesses and forget the strengths, especially when we go out for drinks after work. Here are two rules of thumb for balancing strengths and weaknesses. First, compliment someone 10 times before you criticize them one time. And use the sandwich rule when you need to correct: point out something good, then mention the error, and then end with another compliment.

I don’t know if you’ve ever read “The Hobbit” or “The Lord of the Rings,” but I hope you will. And the movies are great, too, but the book is better. Why? The movies are produced by Peter Jackson but the books are authored by J.R.R. Tolkien. Far better than both is the 178-day walk we all are about to undertake together with Jesus. And with Jesus at our side, every error can be transfigured into ecstasy, every tragedy into triumph, and every gaff into glory.

Praised be Jesus Christ!