My Dear People,

Today’s Gospel deals with the transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus reveals to Peter, James, and John something special—“He is from Heaven.” While Jesus goes through suffering and death, this revelation will help the three Apostles and enable them to inspire and give strength to the rest of the apostles.

This passage plays a pivotal role in the Gospel because shortly after the Transfiguration, Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem,” and for the next ten chapters (Luke 10-19), Jesus is journeying from Galilee to Jerusalem. Scholars call this section of Luke “the travel narrative.” Theologically, what is taking place is this: Jesus is gathering the new Israel around Him as He journeys to Jerusalem in a new exodus that will culminate in a new Passover (the Institution of the Eucharist), thus making the deliverance of Israel not from Egyptian bondage but from bondage to sin. 

Moses and Elijah arrive to talk with Jesus. Moses represents the Law, and Elijah the Prophets. Together, the “Law and the Prophets” was the Jewish way of referring to their Scriptures, what we would now call the Old Testament. So, Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus is a sign of the Old Testament testifying to Christ; a sign of the unity of God’s revelation through the Old and New Covenants. The God who spoke to Moses and Elijah is the same God who reveals Jesus and is revealed in Jesus. 

Peter does not grasp the full significance of the situation. He suggests tree tents (or “tabernacles”), one each for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, as if each held the same status. Although he had previously confessed Jesus as “the Christ of God” (Luke 9:20), here he does not seem to act consistently with that confession. The voice from heaven, the voice of the Father, has to remind him that Jesus, the “chosen Son,” is incompatible even to the great prophets of old. 

God’s presence becomes manifest in a cloud, as was frequently described in the Old Testament. For example, a pillar of the cloud led the Israelite’s Exodus, and a cloud enveloped the tabernacle when it was dedicated (see Exodus 40:34-38). In fact, the cloud covering the tabernacle is probably the most significant connection with the cloud here at the transfiguration.  Jesus is presented as the new Tabernacle, the dwelling place of the Presence of God. Peter wanted to make three tabernacles, one for each prophet. But, Jesus is the unique Tabernacle of God. 

After the voice of the Father speaks, “This is my chosen Son: listen to Him,” only Jesus remains. Jesus is the fullness of the revelation. While the Law and the Prophets testify to Him, Jesus lacks nothing in Himself. He is the complete Word of God made flesh, sufficient in Himself for salvation. 

Transfiguration, the glorification of Christ at the top of a mountain at the beginning of His Exodus journey, foreshadows His Crucifixion, (the paradoxical glorification of Jesus on a mountaintop at the end of His journey). At the Transfiguration, the glory is visible. At Calvary, the glory is hidden under humility and sacrifice. Yet the greatest glory of God is His mercy, His self-gift of love. The Cross is the glory of Christ and the glory of Christians since it signifies the ultimate self-gift of God. 

During Lent, through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we learn to “take up the cross daily,” that is, to make our lives into a self-gift of love to others. Through these practices of liberation, we experience a new exodus from our bondage to physical desire and pride. Then we truly become children of Abraham, a people who live in freedom and walk by faith as he did (Gen 15:6).  Our Lives become transfigured, luminous. 

[Passages from Reflections on Sunday Mass Readings by Dr. John Bergsma]

Yours in Christ, 

Fr. Vincent Clemente