At the Transfiguration of Jesus, the apostles see Jesus transformed. Gone was the former carpenter, now itinerant rabbi. Before them was Jesus clothed in the glory of his full nature, human and divine. Today, Jesus holds out to us the promise of our own Transfiguration when we will become as he is. While the fullness of our own Transfiguration will happen when Jesus comes again, the time to begin our Transfiguration is now, this very day. To become Transfigured requires us to change.
Human beings fear change. We always want things to remain the same. I remember the time I visited a 90 year old man in the hospital. When I asked how things were going, he replied, “It’s hell getting old, kid!” We all fear getting old and the limitations it places into our lives. We grieve the losses of what once had been. The last 17 years have been pretty tough on me. Physically I have undergone a lot of change, so much so, that I joke about walking down the street only to find one of my arms has fallen off. I call out to my son, Luke, “Quick! Pick my arm up before the dog begins to play with it!” The physical limitations which are a part of my life possess a hidden blessing. These limitations have placed more spiritual focus into my life, transforming me into a better person and opening my eyes and my heart to the wonders God has worked in my life.
To become Transfigured requires us to let go of past things, and, while grieving the losses of what once had been, look forward to what we will become. Our pathway to the Transfiguration is through the Paschal Mystery of Jesus. To experience the fullness of what he would become, Jesus had to embrace the losses of his passion and death first, before he could experience the glory of his Resurrection.
Beginning today, we start our journey to our Transfiguration. Let us take the time to appreciate what God has done in our lives. Let us be prepared to let go of who we once were so that we can become who God calls us to be. Let us grieve the losses we experience along the way, but keep our eyes focused on the time when we stand on the mountain top alongside Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, at our own Transfiguration.
