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6th Aug 2022 

Feast of Transfiguration of the Lord

READ: (Dan 7: 9-10, 13-14; 2 Pet 1: 16-19; Lk 9:28-36)

REFLECT: Transfigured to transform life

Dear friends, Today along with the Holy Mother the Church we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The transfiguration of the Lord is a preview of Jesus’ glorified state in the heavenly kingdom. The feast prefigures the oneness of Jesus with the Holy Trinity as a divine person.  The feast of the transfiguration of the Lord invites each one of us to transfigure in appearance and reality thus living life better in order to enter the kingdom of God prepared for all of us. So based on the readings of the day, I would like to share with you three points of reflection for the transformation of life in the Lord.

1. An eternal Kingdom:

Jesus speaks of the kingdom of God in the Gospels and he even asserts that he has come down on earth to spread the good news of God and His kingdom (Matt 4:17; 5:5; 11: 11-12; 12:28; 18: 1-5). The kingdom that Jesus speaks is an everlasting Kingdom established by God the Father, sustained by God and it is God who makes it to grow far and wider. The mission that Jesus imparts the apostles is as well the same “to proclaim the good news to all creation” (Matt 28: 19-20; Acts 1:8). So for Jesus and the apostles establishing the kingdom of God on earth was significant.

That’s what we hear in the first reading from Prophet Daniel that in his vision as one enthroned on the seat in a kingly court, the son of man was presented before him, to Him belongs dominion who we are all called to serve for all ages, his dominion is everlasting and his kingdom will not be destroyed.  So understanding that the Kingdom of God is eternal and in this kingdom everyone can be part provided we obtain and abide by the kingdom values of love, peace, justice and joy.

2. Pay attention:

The phrase, “pay attention,” is common today used by many. Because, many of us do not pay attention to not only what is insignificant in life even what is important we don’t pay attention to. Paying attention to what one says would mean that we are focused, ready to grasp the most significant, and understand the concept better. Even Jesus at times uses in the Gospel, “If anyone has ears let him hear,” (Lk 8:13; Mk 4:23; Matt 11:15). That’s what we hear from the second letter of Peter from second reading.  Peter says that he was an eyewitness of the transfiguration of Jesus and knew what happened on the mount Tabor. He calls us to pay attention to the confirmation and promise of the Transfiguration prophecy of Jesus’ coming.

Therefore Peter says, we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Yes, Jesus is a shining lamp who shines upon us to alleviate darkness and dark sides of life. For some of us the dark sides of life could be our negativities or addictions to bad habits, gossip and insensitivity to others etc. so let us pay attention to Jesus’ words and voice and change life accordingly to avoid remaining in darkness or dark sides of life.

3.     Be beloved one’s of God:

Being loved is an aspect of life and being beloved of someone is a different aspect of life, because we love many but we have few persons as beloved one’s whom we show special love and care. It is because of the deep bond that exists between the two. In the Gospel reading, we hear the special one’s Peter, James and John who had the privilege of having such a beatific vision of Jesus’ transfiguration on the mount Tabor. Of course they could have not seen the complete beatific vision, because it was dazzling white shining brightly as Jesus transfigured. But the striking element is that they heard Moses, Elijah and very specially the voice from the cloud, “This is my beloved son, listen to him.”

In the transfiguration of Jesus, we see that the three apostles accompanied Jesus to mount Tabor, experienced Jesus’ divinity and power, wished to make a tent and stay but did not but they heard a voice, “ listen to Him, my Son, the beloved one.” Yes, in order to be beloved sons and daughters of God we have to accompany Jesus, experience Jesus’ power, share the wonderful experiences God has done in life and above all listen to Jesus, who can take us to God. That’s what Pope Francis says, When the Lord is transfigured before Peter, James and John, and they hear the voice of God the Father say: “This is my beloved Son! Listen to him!” The grace to listen to Jesus. Why? To nourish our faith with the Word of God. And this is the duty of the Christian. So we are called to be beloved sons or daughters of God by listening to Jesus through God’s word.

RESPOND:

Do we believe that the Kingdom of God is eternal and anyone can be part of that heavenly place provided we live by the kingdom values taught by Jesus?

Do we pay attention to the confirmation of prophecies that God spoke to us through prophets in the bible and still God speaks to us through different persons, place and times?

Do we become beloved sons and daughters of God by listening to Jesus, accompanying Jesus, experiencing him, sharing about him to one another?

So let us live the kingdom values, pay attention to God speaking to us in different ways and means and become beloved sons and daughters of God. Amen.

“The pleasure we take in a thing is a kind of precursor that imprints in the loving heart the characteristics of the thing which delights it. Thus sacred delight transforms us into God whom we love. The greater the intensity of the delight the more perfect is the transformation.” (St. Francis De Sales, TLG, Book VIII, Ch. 1)

Wish you all a Happy Feast of the Transfiguration. God bless you all.

Live Jesus