Message for Feast of the Transfiguration – Sunday, August 10, 2025

My Dear Brothers & Sisters,

I share with you “Quiet thoughts on the Transfiguration”:

Transfiguration, Transition, and Transformation.

TRANSFIGURATION speaks in the first place about the revelation of the divine majesty in the face of Jesus Christ.  A visual change occurred as Peter makes very clear in his epistle, “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”  But the experience was more than a vision, it included a voice.  The voice declared, “This is my Son, my Chosen; LISTEN TO HIM!”  Some very challenging things were already said and would continue to be said by Jesus, that would change the perceptions they held about him and his ministry, and they needed tolisten.  There was the danger that they would get so excited about looking that they would neglect to listen. 

TRANSITION implies that significant changes were about to take place.  This was the subject of the conversation between Jesus, Moses and Elijah.  They were speaking about his departure, the tumultuous days that he would have in Jerusalem leading up to the Cross.  Peter had not been listening, so he wanted to “FREEZE THE MOMENT” when what was required is that he and the others should “SEIZE THE MOMENT”.  It was not about savouring the wonderful experience on the mountaintop, but about engaging in the tasks that awaited them at the foot of the mountain.

TRANSFORMATION is the desired outcome of our exposure to the Transfigured Christ.  The vision and the voice should lead to an experience of conversion, to a new understanding of the call of God on our lives.  We are beginning to learn that the ‘Path to Glory’ is by the ‘Way of the Cross’.  

God give us the grace to be ready to embrace that way of the Cross as we engage in Christ’s mission to the world.

Think on These Things!