Dear Friends in Christ,
This Sunday, we celebrate the Transfiguration, one of the most important moments in the life of Christ. After Jesus brings Peter, James and John up Mount Tabor, they observe Him become dazzling white, transfigured before them in a beautiful way.
Why would Jesus give them this incredible privilege? Just before the Transfiguration, Jesus instructed His disciples about what it would mean to follow Him. He made it clear that to follow Him meant taking up one’s own Cross. In the days of Jesus, crucifixion was a shameful death reserved for the worst criminals. The Jews believed that anyone who was crucified was cured by God. We can only imagine how the disciples felt when Jesus told them that they would have to
suffer this humiliating kind of death. Sadly, after His death and Resurrection, almost all of the Apostles gave their lives for the Christian faith dying in violent ways.
At the Transfiguration, Jesus taught the disciples what would happen to them after suffering and dying. He showed them the Resurrection in advance, instructing them that those who
suffer and die in and with the Lord will also share in His victory over death by someday rising again. Therefore, the Transfiguration was a hopeful reminder to them that a life of faith and love leads to an eternal life of joy.
The fact that suffering and death lead to resurrection is what the Church calls the Paschal Mystery. We enter into this mystery through Baptism. What are the practical implications of the Paschal Mystery? First, our faith teaches us that though suffering and death in this world are inevitable, these realities do not have the final word. Rather, in faith, we believe that they will lead us to eventual new life in Christ. Secondly, our belief in the Paschal Mystery gives us hope in all the circumstances of human life. Jesus’ power is with us to save us and help us win the victory over all forms of evil. Finally, as we celebrate the Feast of The Transfiguration, we seek to be
transformed by God’s grace so we may become truly holy. This feast encourages us to desire holiness more than ever.
In Christ,
Fr. Michael