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| The Transfiguration (Carl Bloch, c. 1865) |
Since today’s gospel reading takes us with the 3 apostles to the top of a mountain where Jesus’ face is transfigured like the sun (Mt 17:1-9), we might ask: How can I relate to the Transfiguration of Christ?
First, by realizing that the other people present were like us: Moses and Peter did not initially want to answer God’s call, Elijah fell into despair, Peter was double minded and he denied Christ, and James and John sought their own glory. They were human just like us, with strengths and weaknesses. Also, each of them did not choose God, but God chose them first, just like He calls each of us, regardless of what we’ve done or not done.
The Apostles’ Mountaintop Experience. We also discover how we are like the men present at the Transfiguration by looking at Matthew’s context of the Transfiguration. Just prior to the Transfiguration, Matthew records that Peter’s profession in Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, the Son of God, was revealed to him by the Father; we, too, have received this truth of the Catholic faith handed down to us. During the Transfiguration itself, we can relate to the apostles’ experience of the presence of the Transfigured Christ on the mountain when we receive the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist—a real Communion with the living God in our midst. After the strengthening experience of the Transfiguration, the apostles suffered (living through Christ’s suffering on the cross, and Peter and James suffering martyrdom). Similarly, Jesus in the Eucharist strengthens us in our current and future suffering.
Our Mountaintop Experience. As I mentioned last week, during this Year of Eucharistic Revival, starting in October, all of us in the pastorate are invited to spend a Holy Hour (or part of it) with Jesus during Eucharistic Adoration on the 1st Friday of the month at 7:00 pm in St. Jane’s church. Throughout the year, Eucharistic Adoration occurs at Our Lady of the Chesapeake in the church on the first Friday of the month from 9 to 10 am, and at St. Jane’s in the church 9 am to 2 pm. St. Jane’s also has weekly Eucharistic Adoration every Monday 9 to 3 pm in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. These are precious opportunities to be transformed in Jesus’ Presence similar to the way Peter, James, and John were transformed on the mountaintop. Come and spend time with Jesus “face to face!”
Peace in Christ,
Father Jim
