THE TRANSFIGURATION

According to the English Dictionary; transfiguration means a change in form or shape. In the case of Jesus it was ‘a spiritual change of the His form’ But, what does that actually mean ?

The change did take place … not in Jesus Himself, but in the eyes, in the mind, the spirit of the beholders; of Peter, James and John. They saw Jesus just as He always looked, as He always was. But this form was hidden from the eyes of all.

If the crowd who followed Jesus; the Pharisees, the priests and the rest saw Jesus as He was visible to Peter, James and John, for sure they would have all followed Him without arguing. BUT, this was part of the ‘Messianic Secret’. No Jesus wanted to convince people and make them realise that they should follow Him not because of the wonders He worked, of any miracles, of any feeding, but through conviction..

As a matter of fact, we know that very often, after most of the healing miracles, Jesus’ words were always: “Go, do not sin again, do not tell any one.”

During His Public Ministry, till His glorious death on the Cross, Jesus was conscious of the Glory that awaited Him after His last declaration to His Father, in modern phrase: ‘Mission accomplished’, in His own words: ‘Consumatum est’.

When the traitor, Judas of Kerioth left the Upper Room, during the Last Supper, Jesus told His friends: “Now, the Son of man will be glorified.” We have to keep in mind that the disciples’ mental state was such, that they had to see to believe. Let’s not be rash and blame them, let’s not forget the culture, teachings, experiences and expectations over the years that they were expecting a messiah to deliver them from the political domination … of the Romans.

All this happened on top of a mountain, and Jesus told them not to tell anyone because He wanted to strengthen the faith of the others with the humility of His humanity. For those, only who believe in the Son of God, might, deserve to see God face to face.

We, today, still experience the Transfiguration through the Church, to strengthen our Faith. Christ is still living in the Church, but He is hiding His glory under a ‘veil’; the veil that is covering the ‘mysteries’. Christ is hiding the majesty of His power, His grace and His glory, under symbolic signs and gestures.

If we partake, wholly, totally, till death, in the Passion of Christ, then it would be possible to experience the beauty and glory of that Transfiguration, as experienced by Peter, James and John.