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Homily for Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (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, the Holy Mother the Church celebrates the Feast of Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Sinai.  It is a feast which speaks of Jesus’ transcendental reality and his close association with His Father. This feast gives us a ray of hope declaring that God marches along with the people who fall and fail in life by saying, “you are my beloved son, with whom I am well-pleased. But adds a bit cautioning us not to fall in the same pit rather demanding us to transcend our very own lives in the path of commitment and service to bring Glory to God. 

Moreover, 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. The first reading manifests in the dream of Prophet Daniel that Jesus is on the throne of Judgment, while second reading points out the witness and the confirmation of Peter the apostle about the Lordship of Jesus. And above all, the Gospel clearly affirms the fuller divinity of Christ and His Sonship with His Father. 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.   Believe in the 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.

Just as Peter, James and John experienced Jesus’ power and glory, we are also called to experience Jesus’ power and glory in our lives. In order to have such a glorious experience, we need to journey with Jesus like Jesus on the mount. Walking towards the mount would also make us aware, how difficult it is too walk amidst path that’s hard and risky, yet the disciples walked with Jesus, relying on Jesus and believing in Jesus. Because of their belief and trust in Jesus, their journey was comfortable and they able to experience Joy and peace within. That’s precisely peter exclaimed, how nice it would be we are here, if you wish I shall make three tents, one for you, Moses and Elijah. That’s the power of God’s dwelling place and where God dwells. When God dwells with us and we dwell with God, we experience joy and peace within. Such shall be the kingdom of God too, a place of peace and joy, comfort and consolation. 

Pope Francis very beautifully says that “the Apostle’s expression of appreciation is a reminder that the Lord never lets darkness have the final word. When we face seemingly-endless trials, we need another point of view: “a light which illuminates in depth the mystery of life and helps us to move beyond our frame of mind and the criteria of this world. We too, are called to climb the mountain with Jesus to have every fragment of our lives illuminated by His victory at Easter. Yes, we may find difficult to walk the mount of life, but with Jesus every struggle and suffering will be removed and alleviated, when we walk with confidence and trust in the Lord. So let us prepare ourselves to be part of the eternal kingdom that God has prepared by giving up our little pleasures and pressures of the world. Let us believe in God and in his presence that can change our lives and others too. 

2.   Pay attention to God:

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. Pope Francis makes us realize how important that light of Christ be shone in our lives. Therefore, Pope Francis says in his catechesis urging Christians “to transform our experience with Jesus and carry His light throughout the world. The mission of every Christian, is to ignite little lights in people’s hearts; being little lamps of the Gospel that bear a bit of love and hope.” Yes, when we listen to God what he speaks, when we pay attention to what Jesus and the Spirit of God whispers, we will be able to let the light of Christ to our brothers and sisters, who stay in dark shadows of life. 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 the beloved one 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.” It reveals the unconditional love of God the Father to His only son Jesus. The aspect of Sonship, Lordship and Christ’s relationship with His Father becomes self-explanatory through the act of Transfiguration of Jesus. 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. Moreover in the Gospel of today, the transfiguration speaks of Jesus as the transcendental reality and his capacity to transcend from humanity to divinity. And the saying,” this is my beloved son  with whom I am well-pleased”, is an expression of appreciation and delight on the part of God, seeing His Son accomplishing the mission entrusted to him steadily, gradually, joyfully and successfully. Today the same God who appeared in the form of a cloud at the transfiguration of Jesus calls out to you and me saying, “You are all my beloved sons and daughters with whom I am well-pleased.” Can we hear His voice among the various noises around us? Are we worthy to be called as sons and daughters of God?  Do we do what God wishes?

If at all we want to be sons and daughters of God then we need to bring about the glory that is due to God. How? It is like Jesus who accomplished the Mission of God and considered His will to do as the food to be eaten and to feed many who have not yet tasted God. It is like St. Francis of Assisi who transfigured himself by renouncing a wealthy family, transcending worldly riches and transpiring the real value of life to serving the leper in the locality. It is like St. Francis de sales who transfigured himself by transcending his father’s wish to be an advocate, so as to be a spiritual “advocate” at the service of God. Finally, it is like Mother Theresa who transfigured herself in transcending toward the lives of millions of people who were broken-hearted, helpless and hopeless, by mending their hearts, giving them support and hope. So let us fervently pray to the saints mentioned above who glorified God by their way of life. And above all to Jesus, the pattern of examples in the glorification of God to transfigure ourselves from selfishness to selfless, committed and dedicated service, from our own interests to the interests and heart’s desire of God and transcend the values of our lives and others for the glory of God and His Kingdom.

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 transcend ourselves believing and living the kingdom values, paying attention to God speaking to us in different ways and means and become beloved sons and daughters of God. Amen.

Wish you all a Happy Feast of the Transfiguration. 

God bless you all! Live Jesus!

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS

rameshvkmsfs@gmail.com

9500930968