A dazzling display of heavenliness unveiled
A dazzling display of heavenliness unveiled
Peter, James, and John felt delighted to be present. Certainly, they wished to remain there forever.
Jesus had led them “up a mountain to pray.” Then an incredibly wondrous event occurred: Christ was transformed so that his face “shone as the sun.” Even his garments turned “white as snow!”
Romano Guardini analyzes the scene in this manner: Peter, James and John has received a unique insight into Christ’s vibrant flame of love. Christ, Guardini expresses in “The Lord” (Gateway, $24.99), is “the living Word, and from his sacred existence, simultaneously human and divine, arises the spark that ignites the flame of our own belief.” Thus, the illumination that radiated from Christ was the light that “belongs to the domains of inner truth.” Furthermore, it was “heavenliness revealed.”
Directed by Guardini, we can therefore assert that within the Transfiguration, Christ’s true essence radiated — the paradise that embodies the very existence of God; Love itself. In the Gospel verse, the Father affirms this: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
| August 6 – Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord |
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Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 9 2 Pt 1:16-19 Mt 17:1-9 |
Still, wouldn’t it have been wonderful to be present? To witness the dazzling display? And to listen to the Father’s voice? Certainly, I would have wished to set up a tent and remain there, just like Peter, James, and John. wanted to do. And yet, they were unable to. Christ still faced the “task” of his suffering and death ahead of him. He still needed to “ascend” to Jerusalem. And they accompanied him.
Thus, Christ’s transfiguration was merely a short preview given to Peter, James, and John of what lay ahead. It served as a modest glimpse of the paradise that would result from Christ’s death and resurrection: reconciliation with God and existence in Him. This preview was essential for Peter, James, and John, as the path ahead would not be simple. This is something Christ had foretold on three occasions.
Presently, as we long to have been on Mount Tabor to observe the Transfiguration alongside Peter, James, and John, we can turn to the saints for our own glimpse of “heavenliness revealed.”
The saints are ignited by Christ’s vibrant fire of affection, and thus participate in the revelation of his profound divinity. As Gerard Manley Hopkins expressed, in the saints, we witness Christ’s love “flame out, like shining from shook foil.”
Possibly, in seeking this radiant display in the saints, we may be inspired to accompany them. When we perceive Christ through the saints, we witness history transformed into testimony by the influence of God’s love. The blaze of our faith is ignited by such concretely historical revelations. As St. Catherine once remarked, drawing from her personal experience, “All the way to heaven is heaven.”
Pope Francis inspires us in this quest for holiness, becoming a beacon of witness. This transformation occurs daily as we join ourselves to Christ, moment by moment, step by step. By praying in this manner, we discover our identity as cherished by him, regardless of any errors encountered on our journey. The direction remains toward heaven.
In Gaudete et Exsultate (“Rejoice and Be Glad”), Pope Francis reminds us: “Reflect on your personal journey while you pray, and you will discover abundant mercy. This will also enhance your understanding that the Lord is always attentive to you; he never overlooks you. Thus, it is reasonable to request him to illuminate the tiniest aspects of your existence, for he observes them all.”
In this manner, expresses Pope Francis, we will arrive at an understanding of God’s presence in our lives. History will be transformed into a revelation of God’s compassionate friendship, bringing us back to Him. We will begin to perceive the love that brought life to each of us, residing in the deepest part of our essence and now burning and illuminating outward.
