“transfigured before them”
What was the Transfiguration? “The mysterious event in which Jesus, who was seen speaking with Moses and Elijah on the mountain, was transformed in appearance – in the sight of Peter, James and John – as a moment of disclosure of his divine glory.” [1]
What does the word “transfiguration” mean? Breaking the word down “trans” means to change and “figura” means figure. [2] The dictionary defines “transfiguration” as a form or figure of something that changes into something that is more beautiful or spiritual. This is exactly what Jesus did showing how much more beautiful He would look after His Resurrection. In meditating on the sixth station of the Way of the Cross, Saint Alphonsus Liguori writes, “My most beloved Jesus, Thy face was beautiful before, but in this journey it has lost all its beauty, and wounds and blood have disfigured it. Alas, my soul also was once beautiful, when it received Thy grace in Baptism; but I have disfigured it since by my sins; Thou alone, my Redeemer, canst restore it to its former beauty. Do this by Thy Passion, O Jesus.” [3] Jesus wants to transfigure souls. Our souls were once transfigured through baptism, and our goal in life is to live out our Baptismal vows, thus not disfigure our souls. The Introit speaks of our desire to “ever seek” the face of God. God shows us His face, in the Christ Child, in the blood, scrapes and cuts of the Passion, and in the glory of the Resurrection. These glimpses of the face of God during our temporal life are a small foretaste of the beauty of gazing upon the face of God for all eternity.
Why did Moses and Elijah appear? Moses and Elijah represent the law and the prophets so that “they might testify that Jesus was really the Savior announced by the law and the prophets, and that the law and the prophets received fulfillment in Him. The former was represented by Moses, the latter by Elias.” [4] It was also because “Moses and Elijah had seen God’s glory on the Mountain; the Law and the Prophets had announced the Messiah’s sufferings.” [5]
Why was Jesus’ robe so white? White represents purity, spotlessness, and without blemish. Jesus is the spotless unblemished lamb to be sacrificed for many for our salvation. The brilliant whiteness is to show there is no darkness or anything lacking in Jesus. As Mark demonstrates in his wording, this white was beyond anything human that we can make by bleaching or other ways on earth. It was thatspectacular. Jesus shines forth as the light; He is the God “from light to light” [6]. In our Sacraments we also put on a brilliant whiteness. During the Baptismal Rite, when clothed with the white garment, the celebrant says:
“N., you have become a new creation, and have clothed yourself in Christ. See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.” The goal of the Christian is to remember and keep our dignity. “Christian, remember your dignity.” [7] We are to keep our garment white, without stain. In both the Sacraments of Holy Order and Marriage a white garment is used to witness this purity and spotlessness. The priest “puts on Christ” when he puts on the alb. The bride presents herself to her group as spotless and pure.
SKIT – Ink Sin
The main character (preferably a guy, because most of the ink smears will be on the torso / chest area) should wear two white shirts. The seven deadly sins (pride, lust, greed, envy, anger, sloth, gluttony) can be acted out by seven characters. Each of the characters will tempt the main character, who will fall to the temptation. When the main character consents to the sin, a smear of ink (black, red, or any color) will be smeared on the top white shirt. The bottom white shirt remains spotless. After the sins, the main character will be sad, but will go to confession. After confessing to the priest, a person playing Jesus will have the main character rise and will take off the top shirt. The bottom shirt should be tucked in. The bottom shirt will be left and will be spotless to show that through Sacramental Confession we are made clean.
MOVIE – A Bug’s Life - POP CULTURE CONNECTION – 0:17
This is a short clip in which a fly is so entranced with the light he goes into it. The Apostles were scared of the light and how intense it was, but at the same time they could not look away from it because it was so beautiful. The light of Christ causes us not to die, but rather to die to self—die to sin. Jesus is the Light which the prophet Malachi spoke of when he said, “But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying, and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord.” [8]
Why did St. Peter want to make tents for them? Seeing this glorious sighting of Jesus robed in white and perfection, it’s no wonder Peter wanted to stay up there forever to live out his days witnessing it. However, “The delightful sweetness of the apparition in which Jesus made him participator so enraptured him, that he knew not what he said, not considering that glory can be attained only through sufferings, the crown through fight, joy through crosses and affliction.” [9] This is why Jesus tells his disciples to not say anything about this event until He has resurrected. As mentioned in the previous lesson “Sin to Grace”, Peter did not understand the pain it would take to see this joyful vision for all eternity. He wanted to stay up there for as long as he could.
Why only Peter, James, and John? Jesus took Peter, James and John to the most intimate times of His life. He knew He could trust them with anything, and He also knew that they would be the backbone of the Church after His death and resurrection. Jesus allowed them to be there “to see the glorious majesty of His divinity; to guard them from doubts when they should afterwards see Him die on Mount Calvary; to encourage the disciples and all the faithful to be patient in all crosses and afflictions, for the bodies of the just at the resurrection will be made like the glorified body of Christ [10].” [11]
Why did a cloud go over them? This is not the first time God has used a cloud to overshadow something that is holy. In the Old Testament God had laid a cloud over the ark, the tabernacle in the temple: “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” [12] This was to show this place was the holiest of holies and that God was intervening. [13] “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Lo, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.’” [14] Flash forward to this Sunday’s Gospel reading; what is the cloud overshadowing? Jesus. God shows both that Jesus is the Son of God and second and that every word Jesus speaks is the Fullness of Truth and we must listen to Him. “And God the Father speaks through Jesus Christ in all men of all ages. His voice is heard in every age, in a particular way through the teaching of the Church, who, ‘continually seeks ways of bringing this mystery of her Master and Lord to humanity – to the peoples, the nations, the succeeding generation, and every individual human being.’ [15]” [16]
Why doesn’t Jesus want others to know about this? The hour at which the whole world was to know of His glorious Transfiguration had not come yet. He was to be scourged, crowned with thorns, beaten, mocked, spit, yelled, despised, abandoned, and killed before everyone would come to know this event. His Transfiguration only makes sense to us only within the context of Christ’s passion and death, so therefore this event couldn’t be shared until afterwards. This is similar to Mark’s Gospel, in which Jesus tells those who He heals not to tell anyone. Why? His time had not yet come.
[1] Catechism Glossary pg. 901-902
[2] Modern Catholic Dictionary pg. 544
[3] The Way of the Cross
[4] The Church’s Year pg. 143
[5] CCC 555
[6] Nicene Creed
[7] Saint Leo the Great; The Liturgy of the Hours, Vol. 1, Office of Readings
[8] Malachi 3:2-3
[9] The Church’s Year pg. 143
[10] Phil. 3:21
[11] The Church’s Year pg. 143
[12] Ex. 40:34-35
[13] cf. In Conversation with God 12.3
[14] Ex. 19:9
[15] John Paul II, Encyclical, Redemptor hominis, 7
[16] In Conversation with God 12.3