Fr. Vincent Munari, sx
TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD SUNDAY
In the Gospel episode of the transfiguration it is Peter who speaks first and Jesus at the end; the other 2 Apostles are silent witnesses, while Moses and Elijah are the link with the old testament, like the reference to the “high mountain” (Sinai, Horeb) and the bright cloud (Num. 9,15). This mountain of the Transfiguration is not named because, after the coming of Jesus, all reality is sacred and is part of the revelation of God himself.
Six days before, Peter had received a kind of excommunication when Jesus called him “Satan”: he was unable to think as God thinks (Mt. 16, 23), he was refusing to accept the project of God that implied also suffering and death before the final victory.
And now, only 6 days later (Mt. 17 – 1), Peter is there and he gives his witness in this Sunday’s second reading. So with this account and the ones of Matthew, Mark and Luke we have 4 people who write about the transfiguration. Many! It indicates the importance of the fact, probably the faith of the first community was not strong enough; there was the necessity of uncovering the truth of the fact, of giving a glimpse of the reality of Jesus as Son of God and a suggestion-good also for us-to take courage, to continue our following Christ.
The glorious reality is that Jesus came to enable us able to “pass over” from the human to the divine condition. The order of God the Father: “Listen to Him” is making this happen when we imitate the Son; and the 2 imperatives of Jesus to the 3 apostles, and to us, are equally important: “stand up”, “do not be afraid”. These 2 orders are applicable to all vocations, by the following of Jesus in his mission, our mission also. And we have to perform it with joy, the joy of the Gospel (Pope Francis).
Conclusion. Jesus enacted a transfiguration of his humanity for the benefit of the 3 witnesses; but he remained the same, nothing changed in Him. For our mission instead we have to change and become Christ-like; for us it will be a transformation into the person of the Saviour of all.
TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD SUNDAY
In the Gospel episode of the transfiguration it is Peter who speaks first and Jesus at the end; the other 2 Apostles are silent witnesses, while Moses and Elijah are the link with the old testament, like the reference to the “high mountain” (Sinai, Horeb) and the bright cloud (Num. 9,15). This mountain of the Transfiguration is not named because, after the coming of Jesus, all reality is sacred and is part of the revelation of God himself.
Six days before, Peter had received a kind of excommunication when Jesus called him “Satan”: he was unable to think as God thinks (Mt. 16, 23), he was refusing to accept the project of God that implied also suffering and death before the final victory.
And now, only 6 days later (Mt. 17 – 1), Peter is there and he gives his witness in this Sunday’s second reading. So with this account and the ones of Matthew, Mark and Luke we have 4 people who write about the transfiguration. Many! It indicates the importance of the fact, probably the faith of the first community was not strong enough; there was the necessity of uncovering the truth of the fact, of giving a glimpse of the reality of Jesus as Son of God and a suggestion-good also for us-to take courage, to continue our following Christ.
The glorious reality is that Jesus came to enable us able to “pass over” from the human to the divine condition. The order of God the Father: “Listen to Him” is making this happen when we imitate the Son; and the 2 imperatives of Jesus to the 3 apostles, and to us, are equally important: “stand up”, “do not be afraid”. These 2 orders are applicable to all vocations, by the following of Jesus in his mission, our mission also. And we have to perform it with joy, the joy of the Gospel (Pope Francis).
Conclusion. Jesus enacted a transfiguration of his humanity for the benefit of the 3 witnesses; but he remained the same, nothing changed in Him. For our mission instead we have to change and become Christ-like; for us it will be a transformation into the person of the Saviour of all.