Pastor's Letter 20230806 - 06 August 2023 - He Was Transfigured Before Them

Father Michael · August 6, 2023

August 6^th, 2023

The Transfiguration of the Lord

A Message from Father ^†Michael

Today’s Theme: “He Was Transfigured Before Them”

Reflections on Today’s Scripture

[Only ^†Matthew, ^†Mark and ^†Luke give an account of the Transfiguration. ^†John writes that Jesus’ glory is only received “with the Father, full of grace and truth,” at the beginning of his Gospel—where some see that as a reference to Transfiguration. But our Blessed Lord refers to His passion as His glorification—the true identity and power of the One suffering—and is revealed in the Transfiguration to encourage us.]

(Daniel 7-14) “…clothing as white as snow….”

This Reading, taken alongside today’s Gospel, has apocalyptic visions and symbols. The author wants to console his fellow Jewish faithful, who are being persecuted for their faith by king Antiochus Epiphanes (ca. 167 B.C.) The moral is that people of faith can conquer temptation and adversity.

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(2 Peter 1:16-19) The Second Coming is reinforced for non-believers.

The author states that Jesus already has the essential qualities that will be revealed when He comes again. Meditating on the exalted Messiah should mean a renewed awareness of own exaltation to come.

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(Matthew 17:1-9) In the Transfiguration, we are invited to see the Lord Jesus as He really is.

We commemorate the Lord’s Transfiguration on Mount Tabor twice during the year—2^nd Sunday of Lent, and today, August 6^th–in order to bear witness to His Divinity as His Passion draws near; and to celebrate His exaltation in glory. Our faith tells us that constant happiness is impossible during life on earth. As it was in the life our Savior, we also must suffer before we can enter our glory.

(Note: Parts of this commentary are excerpted from Pastor’s Letter—Second Sunday of Lent.)

A Peak Experience

We know that our experiences affect us much more profoundly than do talks or lectures. Even though we may not be able to analyze them, we know they influence us (for good or ill,) and continue to do so, sometimes for years, afterwards.

Jesus’ Transfiguration on Mount Tabor had great significance, first of all, for Jesus, Himself: It came at a crucial moment in His public life—at the start of His journey to Jerusalem. He knew the same fate awaited Him there as befell all the prophets—violent death. Being wholly-human, He naturally recoiled from such a fate. In order to reflect and pray about it, He climbed to the top of Mount Tabor, taking ^†Peter, ^†James and ^†John with Him.

While there, He felt himself comforted, reassured, affirmed and strengthened for the ordeal ahead. Although He still had to face a dark and threatening future, He knew it was what His Father wanted.

The experience was also of great importance for the three apostles—confirmed by their faith in Jesus—and helped them to face the dark future with Him.

Jesus’ Transfiguration could be called a “peak experience,” similar to those many of us have had. Ours also might include light, peace, unity, joy, exhilaration or meaning—experiencing the presence of God—true moments of grace. They could be triggered, not only by prayer, but by poetry, music, nature, etc. More often, however, they are likely to be the result of suffering some painful struggle.

Occasionally, in His love for us, God allows us to taste the joys of the world to come—on earth—by giving us glimpses of the “promised land,” towards which we travel in faith. Though these experiences may be very beautiful, they should not become a preoccupation, for then religion would degenerate into a search for “highs.” Too much emphasis on “peak experiences,” which, by definition, are rare and unpredictable, narrows the scope of God’s influence in our lives, and renders the rest of life religiously unimportant. The sacred dimension is always present, and, in a strange way, the low moments may be just as enriching as the high ones.

After Jesus’ wonderful experience on the mountain, He had to go back and resume His journey to Jerusalem. Similarly, we also have to “come down from the mountain,” into the plain or valley of ordinary life. True faith does not encourage escape from life, but helps us to commit ourselves more deeply to it.

God wants to transform us, just as He transformed His Son; He has “saved us and called us with a holy calling” (2 Timothy 1:9.) Too often, however, we try to change ourselves by using the power of the world to live spiritual lives. It cannot be done like that; it comes only “through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, Who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” (1 Timothy 1:10.) As we come to see Jesus through the eyes of faith, His Spirit is able to work within us, transforming our lives and giving us a share in His perfect holiness.

The transformation God wants to work in us is not merely for our own well-being. All members of the Church of Christ are meant to reflect His glory, and by this reflection, to change the world. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Father wants to transform us all into radiant sons and daughters, shining like the sun in this darkened world. Ever since His first promise to Abraham, that He would make of him “a great nation” (Genesis 12:2,) God has been working to bring His people to a fullness of life that will renew the race of the earth. The degree to which we are transformed and empowered is the point at which we will be effective in convincing the world of the glory of Christ and the truth of His salvation.

Jesus’ Transfiguration helped prepare the apostles for the salvation He was to win for all humanity. Our transformation—and the transformation of the Church—can prepare the world to receive and accept the salvation Jesus has won for us. We must let the Holy Spirit work through us, molding us into the image of Christ. As we are transformed, the Church will reflect God’s glory and the whole world will be touched.

Because we are made in the image of God, we carry the splendor of divinity within us. Virtue causes our self-image to shine and in doing so, it transfigures us, too!

May God Richly Bless You!