When Jesus touched Peter, James and John, they raised their eyes and “they saw no one but only Jesus”. Moses and Elijah have
withdrawn; they have diminished in significance before the fuller revelation of Jesus. Here they witness the surpassing glory of Jesus as lawgiver and prophet of the New Covenant. We now focus our attention on the beloved Son of God, Christ.
As we have been reflecting on the Transfiguration this week, Jesus’ divine sonship has been confirmed; he is the new Moses, promised by the prophets. The experience changes something in Peter, James and John's relationship with Jesus, allowing them to see Jesus in a new, fuller light and experience him in their hearts. It has encouraged and strengthened them for when they face their own
trials after the resurrection.
This story encourages us on our journey. It invites us to become conscious of events like this in our own lives. God is
present in all things and at all times. Peter never forgets his experience of the Transfiguration. He wrote about it in 2 Peter 1:16-18, “With our own eyes we saw his greatness. We were there when he was given honour and glory by God the Father when the voice came to him from the Supreme Glory... We ourselves heard this voice coming from heaven, when we were with him on the holy mountain.”
We have all experienced times where for a moment, we seemed to glimpse a world beyond this one, where we see beyond the ordinary to something extraordinary. Jesus is constantly revealing himself in our world. He longs for us and wants us to look for
him. We are invited to hold onto those moments of a remarkable sense of God present, not letting them slip away. When we listen carefully, we may hear God’s voice. We may encounter God when we stay silent for a little while, or when we go out to see the sunset or the night sky, or climb a mountain. Jesus also reveals himself in others through what they say and do and who they are. In these experiences, the meaning of Jesus and our discipleship is transfigured.
The glory that shone around Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration prefigures the contemplation of God in eternity when all God’s creation will be engulfed in the blazing light
of the Trinity. In the resurrection, we are transfigured. Let us hold the vision of God’s glory in trust and in hope that our journey on earth and beyond we lead us to the fullness of divine unity.
How have I been impacted by reflecting on Jesus’ Transfiguration this week? Do I feel a change in my relationship with God? With Christ? With the Holy Spirit? How does this change how I look at the world around me? Will I seek to contribute to love, kindness, compassion and care worldwide?
