CARRY THE RADIANCE OF GOD

First Reading: Dan 7:9-10, 13-14
Second Reading: 1 Pet 1:16-19
Gospel: Mt 17:1-9

This Sunday we are celebrating the feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus. This feast is very important to understand the divinity of Christ Jesus. In the second reading of today St. Peter tells that the gospel he preached were not the result of any human myths but a proclamation of what his very eyes and ears have witnessed (2 Pet 1:16). He quotes his experience of the transfiguration of Jesus. In the Old Testament especially in the chapters 24&34 of Exodus we read about Moses who climbs the mountain to have a dialogue with God. The face of Moses was shining after every encounter with God on the mountain – for the skin of his [Moses] face was shining and radiant (Ex 34:29-30). Every divine experience transforms the person. Just like Moses, Jesus goes up to the mountain with His close disciples. Here, Jesus’ face is not going to shine as Moses’ face was in the Old Testament, rather the real GOD FACE of Jesus is going to be revealed.

In the Old Testament, Moses took with him three people to encounter God on Mount Sinai. Similarly, Jesus too takes three important people for his transfiguration on Mount Tabor. Moses took with Him Aaron, the high priest and his two sons Nadab and Abihu (Ex 24:9). Jesus takes Peter, the new high priest of Christianity – the Holy Father [thus, papacy is affirmed]. James and John were brothers just as Nadab and Abihu were. Moses had to wait for six days on the mountain to encounter God. The glory of the Lord [Kabod] was on Mount Sinai for six days but it was only on the seventh day that the Lord God spoke to Moses from the pillar of the cloud (Ex 24:16). Matthew indicates clearly that Jesus goes to the mountain after six days (Mt 17:1). God teaches the holiness of Sabbath in these revelations. God relates with people on seventh day as it is the day totally dedicated to the Lord. For us Christians every Sunday should be a day of colloquy with God. Do we respect the holiness of Sunday? May the celebration of today’s feast help us to imbibe the importance and the holiness of Sunday.

We know from the exodus events that the Lord accompanied the people of Israel through the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. The presence of the Lord [Shekinah] over the tent of meetings was the indication for the Israelites to camp. Whenever the pillar of cloud and fire is lifted they would resume the journey (Ex 40:34-38). Having this in mind St. Peter requests Jesus to put up three tents and continue to stay on the mountain (Mt 17:4). Peter wants to eternalize that divine moment. We do need to have divine moments in our life. Every Eucharistic celebration is a divine moment. We witness the transformation of host and wine into the real body and blood of Jesus. In the Holy Mass we are on a mountain of God witnessing the radiant face of God with Shekinah in our midst. Do we really pay attention to that divine moment? We do need to long like St. Peter to eternalize the divine moments. The longing will deepen our spiritual life. Of late Pope Francis has been emphasizing the need to adore the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. He has reinstated this habit even in the world youth day that is happening now in Lisbon. The practice of adoration has to be brought back in the Church to give due place for God in our life. We need to create a culture of ‘awe’ and ‘wonder’. If only we reverence God just like Moses, Israelites and the disciples of Jesus on the mountain we may understand the majesty of God. Adoration makes us aware of the presence of God [Shekinah]. May the celebration of this feast help us to witness overshadowing of the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. Our face should shine and be radiant after every Holy Mass and Eucharistic adoration. We need to carry the glory of God [Kabod] in our material bodies as we go out from the Church. As St. Peter says about him in the second reading, let our proclamation of Christ emanate from divine experience. Happy Feast!