Pastor's Letter 20200308 - 08 March 2020 - Our Transfiguration

[Father Michael]

A Message From Father †Michael

Second Sunday of Lent

This Week's Theme: "Our Transfiguration"

Scripture Note

Today’s First Reading presents Abraham as the great model of faith (Genesis 12:1-4.) In our Eucharistic Prayer we refer to him as “our father in faith.” At the word of God he left all the usual securities of life—home, family, country—and set out for a land he had never seen.  It’s easy to romanticize his journey.  God alone knows the difficulties he encountered. The only compass he had was faith in God’s promise.  Abraham’s story touches us with its boldness and vulnerability.  Even though he didn’t know where his journey would end, he trusted God to be with Him.  In this he derived great strength.  God blessed him and rewarded his faith by making him the father of a great people, the descendants of whom included Jesus.  Today’s Scriptures bring us full circle from the obedience of Abraham, which brought blessings to many, to the obedience of Jesus—an act, which took Him to a death on a cross—and the blessings that would flow to the world as a result. 

 Like the story of Jesus’ baptism, the Transfiguration in Today’s Gospel (Matthew 17:1-4,) is an Epiphany story.  Both stories are manifestations of Jesus as He is, or, as He will be.  In both, there is a voice, and the voice says the same words. A mountain is the place of His divine manifestation.  The cloud is a sign of the presence of God.  Moses and Elijah stand for the Law and the Prophets. 

 It is no longer possible to say what happened on the mountain.  It may have been a vision, or a profound “religious” experience.  The tendency to see the Transfiguration simply as a stage in the education of the apostles has permeated theological exegesis.  But its first and chief significance was for Jesus Himself.  It was meant to confirm Him in the course He had taken.

A Peak Experience

 Physical experiences influence us much more profoundly than merely listening to talks, lectures or homilies. Even though we may not be able to analyze them, many affect us—for good or ill—and continue to do so for years afterwards.  The experience of Jesus on Mount Tabor had great significance, first for Jesus—coming at a crucial point in His public life—at the beginning of His journey to Jerusalem—a place where He knew that the same fate awaited Him as befell al the prophets:  namely, a violent death.  Naturally, He recoiled from such a fate as any human being would do. In order to reflect on it, He climbed to the top of Mount Tabor, taking peter, James and John with Him.  Immediately He began to pray, during which Moses and Elijah appeared to Him (presumably speaking with Him about His forthcoming passion.)  More importantly, He experienced the “immanent presence of God,”  and heard again the wonderful words of affirmation He had heard at His baptism: “You are My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.”  

 On Mount Tabor, Jesus would have felt Himself comforted, reassured, affirmed and strengthened for upcoming ordeal. It wasn’t that everything became “rosy”—in fact, nothing changed.  He still had to face a dark and threatening future.  But He knew that somehow it was the commission that God had given Him; and that God would give Him the strength to face it.  But the experience was also of great importance for the three apostles with Him on the mountain.  By confirming their faith in Jesus, it helped them to face that dark future with Him. 

 Jesus Transfiguration on Tabor can be seen as a “peak experience” in Jesus’ life.  We also can have moments of transfiguration—those experiences of light, peace, unity, joy, exhilaration and meaning—in the presence of God.  Such are true moments of grace, which can be triggered not only by prayer, but also by poetry, music, nature or meaningful personal events. (I recall fondly the moment I held my baby daughter, Michelle, seconds after she was born.) But for many, they are often the fruits of suffering or some painful struggle.  In His love for us, such events can be seen as God allowing us to taste (on earth) the joys of the world to come, by giving us glimpses of the Promised Land towards which we are traveling in faith.  

Though such experiences are often very beautiful, they should not become a preoccupation, for then religion would degenerate into a search for “highs.” (We might see this in some charismatic sects whose services promote "routine" mood elevation as evidence of the work of the Spirit.) Too much emphasis on peak experiences, (which are, by definition, rare and unpredictable,) narrows the scope of God’s influence in our lives and might render the rest of our lives religiously unimportant.   Certainly, the religious dimension is always present.  However, in a strange way, perhaps, the “low moments” may be just as enriching as the high ones.

  After their wonderful experience on the mountain, the apostles had to return and resume the journey to Jerusalem. After a peak experience, we also have to “come down from the mountain,” and return to the plain, or valley, where life goes on in the darkness, only illuminated by faith.  True religion doesn’t encourage escapefrom life, it helps us commit ourselves more deeply to it.  Emily Dickinson expressed this beautifully:  

Exhilaration is the breeze that lifts us from the ground,  and leaves us in another place whose statement is not found; 

Returns us not, but after time we soberly descend,  a little newer for the term upon enchanted ground.

 Disfiguration and Transfiguration

In order to put all this in perspective, picture this:  You come upon an old oil lamp, covered with layers of dust and dirt.  How wretched and useless it looks!  Then, after the layers of dirt are cleaned away, and it’s polished, it begins to sparkle.  When you light it, instantly the lamp is transformed—glowing positively, radiating light and beauty to every corner of the room.  Whereas, prior to this, it was disfigured with dust and dirt, now it has become transfiguredwith beauty.  Yet, it is the same lamp…. When someone loves and cares for objects (or persons,) they are, in turn, redeemed and rendered brighter and worthwhile.  

 As Jesus went about Galilee, His divinity was “cloaked” by His humanity.  But on Mount Tabor, God’s light burst forth from His body, and He was transfigured.  Our Gospel tells us that three apostles were there to see this divinity, previously hidden in the depths of His humanity.  As we can only imagine, they would have been overcome with the beauty and brilliance of the scene.  It was not a “surface” thing, but the inner essence of God within Jesus shining through for all to see.  

 Within each of us is the potential for evil, and the potential for goodness.  Our evil is shown when we exhibit hatred, bitterness, cruelty, greed, envy, lust, etc.—ugly things, which bring out the worst in us—corrupting the heart. Sometimes these can even be exhibited physically, with coarseness of the face and darkening of the eyes.  Evidence has shown that evil can actually disfigure a person!

 Our potential for goodness is shown in our capability for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, mercy compassion, etc.—beautiful things that bring out the bestin us.  These purify the heart, and in turn, can be exhibited by a softening in the face and shining eyes.  Goodness can literally transfigure us!  Basically, a person is transfigured by what they love; what excites “moves” us; what rouses our spirit, and what causes us to be awake and alive—those things that show us at our brightest and best!

 We can see this in the self-portraits of the post-impressionist painter, Vincent Van Gogh.  He demonstrated a visage few would say highlights his physical beauty.  Yet, in spite of his rather unsightly appearance, as soon as he began to speak about art, his friend, Paul Gauguin recounted that his melancholy expression would disappear, his eyes would sparkle, and his features would make a deep impression on those around him. His formerly unappealing face would even become what some would call “beautiful.”  It seemed to onlookers that he was “breathing in” beauty!  One of his quotes speaks volumes:

“What am I in the eyes of most people—a nonentity, an eccentric, or an unpleasant person—somebody who has no position in society and will never have; in short, the lowest of the low. All right, then—even if that were absolutely true, then I should one day like to show by my work what such an eccentric, such a nobody, has in his heart. That is my ambition, based less on resentment than on love in spite of everything, based more on a feeling of serenity than on passion. Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me. I see paintings or drawings in the poorest cottages, in the dirtiest corners. And my mind is driven towards these things with an irresistible momentum.” 

 At times we all can feel “down,” as though we were becoming prey to feelings of failure and worthlessness. But then, something nice happens to us—a friend calls, or we receive a message with good news—and suddenly, everything is changed.  In truth, of course, nothing has changed.  It’s just that a spark of joy, or hope, or love has been kindled in our hearts, and we see ourselves and our lives in a new and better light—we see life around us with a transfigured attitude….  Our faith teaches us we are made in the image of God, meaning we carry the splendor of divinity within us, as the essence of our immortal soul.  However, sin tarnishes that image and so, disfigures us.  But virtue causes that image to shine and so transfigures us. We are at our best when we are “good.” 

 Like the apostles on Mount Tabor, we must relish those experience rare moments of light and joy—those glimpses of the Promised Land towards which we are traveling in faith.  It bears repeating: “In His love for us, God allows us to taste on earth the joys of the world to come.”  In between times, like Abraham, we travel through the darkness buoyed with the expectancy, the hope of faith.  

 May God Richly Bless You!

 

      “When I come to the end of all the light that I have, and step into the darkness beyond,

 I must believe one of two things:  there will be something solid for me upon which to stand, 

Or God will teach me to fly.”  (Alpha Legg^†1995)

My Soul Waits for the Lord.docx

My Soul Waits for the Lord.mp3

Edited March 14, 2020 by Father Michael
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