This week the world has given us the tale of two crowds for our consideration. 

The first crowd was a group of a few thousand people brought together at Union Square in Manhattan on Friday afternoon by the internet streamer and influencer Kai Cetan.  The people came for a hyped giveaway hoping for free PlayStations, computers and other devices.  The crowd quickly turned unruly – climbing on vehicles, hurling chairs and throwing punches.  The police were called in and only after a number of hours were they able to disperse the crowd and bring calm back to the area.  Kai Cetan is now charged with inciting a riot. 

The second gathering is going on right now in Lisbon, Portugal.  Over four hundred thousand young people representing every nation in the world except one (Maldives) are gathering these days for World Youth Day.  These young adults are gathering with Pope Francis, cardinals, bishops, priests and religious from around the world.  Rather than unrest and rioting; this gathering is marked by prayer, song, service to others and worship. 

The two crowds are certainly set apart by their actions but also by what brings them together and their focus. 

A craving for material things and the need to be near the pseudo-celebrity of a social media influencer brought the first crowd together.  My hunch is that people saw the crowd gathered while realizing the limited number of items to be given away with the result being that the energy of the excitement of getting something for free quickly turning into a riot.  Hence the charge of “inciting a riot”.  In this crowd, people saw one another solely as competition for something they wanted.   

The focus of World Youth Day is not for a “thing” nor for the hollow fame of an influencer, the focus of the gathering of four hundred thousand in Lisbon is on the Lord of Life and an authentic encounter with Him.  In this gathering, the participants recognize one another not as competitors for things but as brothers and sisters in the great family of God – a family which crosses all borders, nationalities, languages and social divisions.  The participants at World Youth Day are gathered in Christ. 

Today’s Feast of the Transfiguration focuses our eyes on Christ.  Jesus is revealed as the long-awaited Messiah as prophesied by Daniel (Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14) and witnessed to by the presence of Moses and Elijah gathered with Jesus on the mountain (Mt. 17:1-9).  The voice of the Father is heard by Peter, James and John and the same truth is proclaimed to us today, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 

Listen to Jesus.  Stay focused on Jesus throughout the journey of life.  Do not seek after things that do not last and that fail to satisfy.  Such things only end in ruin and hurt.  Stay focused on the Lord of Life and, by so doing, receive life in abundance. 

The world has put before us the tale of two crowds this week.  In one is found only self-centeredness and rioting.  In the other is found true community, life, hope and joy. Choose wisely.     

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”