- Rosary
- Luminous Mysteries
- Transfiguration
Transfiguration
A Divine Revelation
The Transfiguration of Jesus is a pivotal event in the New Testament that reveals the divine nature of Christ and underscores the importance of prayer and spiritual awakening.
This event, which occurs shortly before Jesus’ crucifixion, is described in the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
It illustrates not only the glory of Jesus but also the significance of His relationship with the Father and the role of His disciples—Peter, James, and John—who were chosen to witness this extraordinary moment.
The Events
The Moment of Transformation
As Jesus ascends the mountain with His disciples, the narrative describes a dramatic transformation.
Jesus' appearance changes: His face shines like the sun, and His garments become as white as light. This radiant transformation signifies His divine nature and the glory that He shares with the Father. It is a moment of revelation, where the humanity of Jesus is overshadowed by His divine essence.
The Appearance of Moses and Elijah
During this divine revelation, Moses and Elijah appear and converse with Jesus. Moses represents the Law, and Elijah represents the Prophets. Their presence emphasizes that Jesus is the fulfillment of both the Law and the prophetic tradition. This connection illustrates that Jesus is not only a teacher but the culmination of God’s plan for salvation. The discussion between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah likely revolves around Jesus’ impending death and the significance of His mission.
The Voice from the Cloud
As the disciples witness this extraordinary event, a bright cloud envelops them, and a voice speaks from the cloud:
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
This declaration from God the Father reinforces Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and emphasizes the importance of obedience to His teachings. The command to "listen to him" serves as a reminder for the disciples—and for all believers—of the necessity of heeding Jesus’ words and teachings.
Have you suddenly realized your changes from who you were to who you are now? Do you ask yourself how did I get here? Is it because of maturity, age or spiritual work? So many questions could be asked about transfiguration.
The Transfiguration serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual transformation, highlighting the potential for profound change through deep contemplation and prayer. Just as Jesus' appearance was transformed, we too can experience inner transformation through dedicated spiritual practices, such as meditation and silent prayer.
Transfiguration baby steps
This title just made me think about how we transform in life stages. A baby that will transform from crawling to walking. Cooing to talking and so on.
Every day we transform as we age. The question is how many of us actually notice these changes every day? Not over time and suddenly it's a big surprise that something about yourself has changed.
Every so often I experience a revelation about myself, that something significant that I was working on changed or is gone. No more to be thought about, dealt with or worried about. And I'm not talking about ignorance of the issue, like ignoring it and only to pop up when I least expect it, to deal with it all over again from the beginning.
No something that I asked God to help me with, to forgive someone, to change an attitude within myself or something I am worrying about.
Most of us think the butterfly is a good example of transfiguration. Nature's creatures going from something not to pleasant to very vibrant and pretty.
Transfiguration - a Purification of the Soul
Reactions
Fear and Awe
The disciples’ reaction to the Transfiguration is one of fear and awe. Overwhelmed by the divine presence and the extraordinary events unfolding before them, they fall to the ground.
This response reflects the natural human reaction to encountering the divine. It also serves as a reminder of the holiness of God and the reverence that should accompany our approach to Him.
Peter’s Proposal
In the midst of this awe, Peter suggests building three tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.
This proposal, while well-intentioned, reveals Peter’s misunderstanding of the significance of the moment.
He desires to prolong the experience, perhaps wishing to capture the glory of the moment in a tangible way. However, the suggestion also reflects a common human desire to hold onto spiritual experiences rather than allowing them to transform us for the future.
Have you ever asked yourself, what would you have done?
The Significance
Revelation of Christ’s Glory
The Transfiguration serves as a powerful revelation of Jesus’ divine glory. It affirms His identity as the Son of God and His unique relationship with the Father. This moment provides the disciples with a glimpse of the glory that will be fully revealed in the resurrection. It reassures them of Jesus’ divine authority and prepares them for the trials they will face in the coming days.
Connection to the Passion - Visit the Stations of The Cross to see the connection
The timing of the Transfiguration is crucial. It occurs shortly before Jesus’ passion, serving as a source of strength and encouragement for the disciples. As they prepare for the impending suffering and crucifixion of Jesus, this moment of divine revelation reminds them of His true nature and the hope that lies beyond the cross.
The Importance of Prayer
The Transfiguration emphasizes the significance of prayer and communion with God. Jesus goes up the mountain to pray, illustrating the importance of seeking God’s presence and guidance. This act of prayer sets the stage for the divine revelation that follows. It serves as a reminder for believers to prioritize prayer in their own lives, seeking moments of encounter with God.
ASCENT of MOUNT CARMEL is a good book to help you understand how we have to let go of our desires of worldly things. Let go of things that are not of GOD. Saint John of the Cross explains it in detail is these three books.
Spiritual Transfiguration
Seeing myself one way and becoming another.
The death of my parent's probably was part of a transfiguration in me, but something else happened that is unexplainable.
I received a blessing from God that took away my pain, my heartaches that I carried from childhood. I still can remember the incidents, but I don't feel the emotion in my heart. This is the best I can do explaining it with words.
I have siblings and they speak about the funny or the hard times we had growing up, and they express hurt and anger, I can hear and see this but I myself do not feel these emotions anymore.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
We wait for the train, bus, and car. We wait for our guests and even the occasional large wave. I find myself waiting as I sit in the quiet of my mind to hear God's small, sweet voice.
We busy ourselves every day, every waking minute with something. Our phones, computers, games and work and non-work essentials while we all do the one thing together. WAIT...
Awaiting the changes
Once you have removed the desires of worldly things, Saint John of the Cross calls it the Dark Night of the Soul. I find I am waiting for the next... When this transition happens for me, I will fill you in, but at this point I am in waiting and a beholder of God's movements.
