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Matthew 17:1-9:
"Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, 'Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one fore you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.' When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, 'Rise, and do not be afraid.' And then when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, 'Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.'"
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The Transfiguration of our Lord. This must have been an amazing, yet scary, event to witness. Jesus was standing amidst the great Prophets Moses and Elijah, but that wasn't all. God also descended upon them and told the disciples to listen to Jesus the Son of God. The Transfiguration is where heaven met earth through Jesus. It affirmed Jesus as the Son of God and as a teaching authority. It was a very important part of the life of Jesus; it displayed the divinity of Christ as well as showing the continuity of God through the ages. Let's use St. Peter's recounting of the Transfiguration to drive home the message.
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2 Peter 1:16-20:
"We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eye witnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father -- when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, 'This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.' We -- ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."
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St. Peter makes a very strong statement here. He is saying that he (and the Apostles) holds the message, and that it would be a good idea to pay attention to it. What is this message? Jesus is the Son of God and we should listen to him. There is a reason "listen to him" jumped out at me. We are to listen to Jesus Christ, because he is the Son of God! If Jesus says something, we know it is true, because it comes from God. When the Apostles say something, we know it is true, because they witnessed the message being told. St. Peter and the Apostles hold the teachings of Christ. We would be wise to know this.
As we move on this Lent, let us remember what Christ taught and use Christ's teachings, which are continuously brought forth by the Church, to shape our lives. Let us listen to Christ and confirm our souls to him, so that we can accept the heavenly glory that God invites us to receive freely. Amen, I say, Jesus' words are true! Credo Domine.
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