Our own Transfiguration

Today’s Gospel event, the Transfiguration, is situated on a mountain, high above the ordinary run of day to day existence. The event, and especially its significance, are as challenging and awesome and magnificent as Mt. Everest itself. Strangely enough, however, we tend to underestimate the meaning of the Transfiguration and confine it only to its revelation of Christ’s Messianic personality and mission. Everything Jesus said and did, revealed his uniqueness, but today’s narrative gives it the emphasis which the struggling faith of his disciples needed. To be a disciple of the Lord Jesus means that one never stops learning and today Jesus teaches Peter, James and John a lesson they will never forget.

For the lesson concerns more than Jesus. And, as one commentator points out, the apostles are themselves transfigured. Their faith-relationship to the Lord is changed and challenged. Suddenly, they realize that they are not involved in something transient or optional. Had they known way back what they were getting themselves into, they probably would not have laid down their nets and followed Christ. On the mountain of the transfiguration, they began a new understanding of their relationship with God, a deeper understanding of their mission to the world. We like to romanticize the occasion and conclude what an exciting moment it must have been for the disciples. In reality, it must have been exceedingly lonely and frightening. For a whole new universe was opening up, and, like it or not, their lives were opening into paths and destinations they had not even begun to dream of.

The Transfiguration transfigured the apostles? It surely did. Look at how Christ gently, subtly redirected their attitude towards the Lord God. As the great moment opens up for all its glory, impulsive Peter blurts out his delight: "Lord, it is good for us to be here". He makes a generous offering to erect an instant condominium. Then the majesty of the occasion overwhelms him and the other disciples and they fall to the ground in understandable fright. But Jesus calmly tells them: "Do not be afraid. Stand up." We, too can climb the mountain of the Lord and find him and meet him, as Peter, James and John did. And we will hear the same message: "Do not be afraid. Stand up."

We call God "transcendent" – he is greater than we in every respect; but God’s transcendence is not some static, forbidding quality, some mysterious "no trespass" sign. His greatness, his holiness, his total otherness is a warm, personal invitation to us to become more than we are, to keep on growing. We must never make a God in our image or reduce the Lord to our own convenience; but our awe in his presence (which is anywhere) should really inspire us to work mightily and walk firmly in his service. That’s why Jesus says to his disciples, "Do not be afraid. Stand up."

On the surface, transfiguration might sound like all sweetness and light, all glory and prestige. But that would be surface reading. Rather it spells in loud, bold letters effort, suffering, faith and endless love. For Transfiguration will find its ultimate expression in the death and Resurrection of Jesus. Transfiguration is any moment that we reveal the active, healing presence of Jesus in our family and community. Your compassion towards the poor and disabled, your honest working of family problems, your working for human values are all acts of transfiguration. There he will transfigure himself before us and reveal his full heart and share his best love. Then we shall find ourselves saying "Lord, it is good for us to be here."

Transfiguration of the Lord Mk. 9:2-10