Today, as we gather to celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration, we are invited to reflect on the profound moment when Jesus reveals His divine glory to His closest disciples. The readings for today, from the Book of Daniel and the Gospel of Mark, together illuminate this pivotal event in our faith and its significance for our lives.
In Daniel’s vision, we encounter a magnificent scene that speaks to God’s sovereignty. The "Ancient One" sits on a throne of fire, surrounded by countless attendants, and dominion is given to "one like a Son of man." This imagery is rich, filled with majesty and power, and points us to the eternal kingship of Christ. Pope Benedict XVI beautifully notes that the Transfiguration is a moment where heaven breaks into our earthly reality, a foreshadowing of the ultimate glory that will be revealed in the resurrection. Just as Daniel sees the Son of Man receiving dominion and glory, on the mountain, we witness Jesus being transformed, revealing His true divinity.
As Mark describes, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. There, the veil of His humanity is lifted, and He is transfigured before them, His clothing becoming "dazzling white." Here, we see not only Christ's divine nature but a glimpse of the resurrection glory that awaits Him. It must have been overwhelming for the disciples; this moment of terror mixed with wonder. Peter’s instinct to build three tents reflects our human tendency to cling to the extraordinary, to want to capture the moment. Yet, the voice from the cloud instructs them, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." It is in this command that we find our call as followers of Christ, and there’s a lot to say about the fact that these were the same words uttered by our Blessed Mother at Cana: “Listen to him” and we can well imagine her to also be able to say: “This is my beloved Son.” How our Blessed Mother helps us to follow Jesus, and to change our ways. When we invoke her in the rosary, we tap into a great power in heaven, for the King refuses nothing to the Queen Mother as we see in the Old Testament.
Saint Francis of Assisi, in his reflections which have echoes of the themes we find in the Transfiguration, saw this event as an affirmation of Christ’s divine Sonship and a call to a deeper transformation within ourselves. He understood that just as Jesus was transfigured, we too are called to be transformed in our hearts and minds. Francis never sought glory for himself, preferring humility and service, like Christ. Notice that this should have been Christ’s natural manifestation, in light and glory, and yet he chose to conceal his glory beneath his true human nature. He shone brighter than the sun from all eternity, and yet he chose to be born in the dark, cold, and abandoned cave of Bethlehem. Saint Francis modeled what it means to listen to Christ and to allow His light to penetrate our lives, by imitating his humility, and not only loving the poor, but choosing poverty and simplicity for himself so as to become more and more Christlike.
The Transfiguration invites us to experience a transformative encounter with Christ, whereby we allow His light to dispel the darkness in our lives. Pope Benedict emphasizes that this event is a revelation not just of Christ’s glory, but also a preparation for the suffering He must endure. As we celebrate this feast, we are reminded that our own journeys of faith include both high mountain experiences and the valleys of life’s challenges. The apostles would have to endure the death of their beloved Lord, and we too will have to taste the bitterness of death at the passing of loved ones. But Christ’s face shone brighter than the sun on Mount Tabor, to remind the apostles, when they descended into that pit of sadness after his crucifixion, that he is God, and he is in control. He knows what he’s doing, and he has a plan for each of us, and each of our loved ones, so that death itself will not separate us.
As we ascend our spiritual mountains, whether they be moments of prayer, service, or communal worship, let us also listen to Christ, who calls us to share in His glory, but also to embrace the journey of transformation. The dazzling white of Jesus’ attire signifies purity and the call for us to strive for holiness. As St. Paul reminds us, we are to be "transformed by the renewal of our minds," so that we may discern what is the will of God, and this is a lifelong process.
May we take this invitation seriously. Just as Peter, James, and John were forever changed by what they beheld, let us seek that same transformative encounter with Jesus in our lives and create moments to listen to him in prayer, in the Scriptures, in our community, and in the faces of those we serve. Let us always remember that our Guardian Angel is with us, and our Blessed Mother accompanies us, always pointing to her Son and pleading with us to listen to him.
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