Our Transfigurartion

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Luke 9:28b-36

Today the Church celebrates – and each of us are called to contemplate – the Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior – Jesus Christ. Transfigure means to change in outward form or appearance.

“While Jesus was praying” we are told that “his face changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white.” Why? Why would Jesus need to transfigure, to change in His outward form or appearance?

We know that the divine nature of Jesus was veiled by His human form – a form which Jesus took upon Himself, recall what scripture says in Philippians:

“Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God – something to be grasped. Rather, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-11)

Recall too that this event – the transfiguration – takes place after Peter’s confession about Jesus. Jesus asked His disciples “… who do you say that I am” and Peter said in reply “you are the Messiah, the Son of God”.

And recall also, that the transfiguration takes place after Jesus’ first prediction to His disciples about His Passion, Death and Resurrection: Jesus said to His disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” Remember that Peter protested. So – why did Jesus transfigure –

Well His divine nature was veiled by His human form – to His disciples or to anyone else He ‘looked’ just like everybody else – He was human in appearance.

And His disciples were beginning to understand that Jesus was divine – the Messiah, the Son of God. But their understanding of the Messiah and what they thought the Messiah would do didn’t fit with Jesus’ prediction of His Passion, Death and Resurrection – they needed reassurance.

So one reason then for the transfiguration of Jesus was to reassure His disciples – Peter, John and James – and each of us – that Jesus was who He said He was, who they had come to believe He was – the Messiah – the Son of God.

Another reason for His transfiguration may very well be for Jesus’ own benefit. He had just revealed to His disciples His coming passion, death and resurrection – Jesus now knew His Father’s plan for His life – He now knew that He would be handed over to His enemies; that He would suffer greatly at their hands, that He would die and be buried and that on the third day He would rise again.

Who – having learned that this was to be their fate – wouldn’t need to get away with their closest friends – who wouldn’t need to get away and spend some quiet time in prayer with God – who wouldn’t need God’s reassurance that everything would be OK – and that they would have strength and courage to do what God was calling them to do?

While He is praying, we are told, His face changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white. He appears to His disciples in His glorified body. This miracle is unique among all the other miracles in the Gospels because this one happens to Jesus Himself – for His benefit, His disciples benefit and our benefit.

Thomas Aquinas – one of the Doctors of our Church and considered by many Catholics to be the Church’s greatest theologian and philosopher – considered the Transfiguration of Jesus “the greatest miracle” in that it complemented baptism and showed the perfection of life in Heaven.

Jesus – we are told – became radiant and was seen speaking with Moses and Elijah – who represent the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament. Their recognition of and conversation with Jesus symbolizes how Jesus fulfils both the law and the prophets of the Old Testament.

Peter doesn’t understand what is happening – and while he is talking about making three tents – one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for Jesus, we are told that a cloud comes, casts a shadow over them, and from that cloud comes a voice – the voice of God – who confirms what Jesus has told them about His passion, death and resurrection and removes any doubt about who Jesus is when He says, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” Then Jesus – who is the New Testament – was found alone – Moses and Elijah are now gone.

They heard the voice of God – is it no wonder then that they all fell silent for a time. Following the transfiguration, Jesus leaves the mountain refreshed – and sets His eyes now on Jerusalem and the cross.

The question we have to ask ourselves today is – where are we in our own transformations – a transformation that perhaps began when we first heard the name of Jesus – a transformation that started when we were baptized – a transformation that was reinforced by our confirmations – a transformation that is nourished by the body and blood of Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament – a transformation that calls to each of us from the Holy Scriptures – where are we in our transformation from being of this world to being in this world and following Jesus?

Lent is a good time to take a step back and evaluate and reflect on our relationship with God. We can’t allow ourselves to become complacent – we can’t allow our worship to become routine either.

During Lent we often give up things or maybe do extra things – but Lent is more than just giving up chocolate or giving up watching television – that is OK if you are a child – but for adults Lent is about conversion, it is about turning our lives more completely over to Jesus and His way of life – and that involves giving up sin in some form.

The goal is not just to abstain from sin for the duration of Lent either – the goal is to root that sin out of our lives completely – forever. Those things we do during Lent are meaningless if we aren’t doing them for the right reason – and that is to grow closer to God and become more like His Son Jesus – those things we do for Lent are meaningless if they don’t lead us to true conversion.

Spend this Lenten period wisely – in prayer, fasting and alms giving. Ask God to help you to turn away from all sin – then you will make a difference in the world.

The Son of God came to earth in the form of a man to be the true servant of God, to show us the way to the Father and to gift mankind with the greatest gift ever given – eternal life.

Earlier I quoted from the second chapter of Philippians when I spoke about Jesus empting and humbling Himself and coming in human appearance, I want to leave you now with the remainder of that scripture passage:

Jesus did not regard equality with God, He emptied and humbled Himself and was obedient to His Father’s will – and because of this – God greatly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father. – Amen!