Day 79: Jesus' Transfiguration and Messianic Acts

For a moment Jesus discloses his divine glory, confirming Peter's confession. He also reveals that he will have to go by the way of the cross at Jerusalem in order to "enter into his glory". Moses and Elijah had seen God's glory on the Mountain; the Law and the Prophets had announced the Messiah's sufferings. Christ's Passion is the will of the Father: the Son acts as God's servant; The cloud indicates the presence of the Holy Spirit. "The whole Trinity appeared: the Father in the voice; the Son in the man; the Spirit in the shining cloud." CCC 555

In today's reading, the Catechism brings us to the amazing Transfiguration of Jesus. In this, His divine glory is revealed to the Apostles with Him and the whole Trinity is present. Also appearing with Him during this miraculous event were two important figures of Jewish history: Moses and Elijah (Matt 17:1-8). Not having been there ourselves to witness this, it is difficult to fully comprehend the full majesty of it, but nevertheless it gives us a "gives us a foretaste of Christ's glorious coming, when he 'will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body.'" (CCC 556). It is striking though that St. Peter would later deny Him three times (Lk 22:54-62) after being there to see with his own eyes just Who Jesus Is. But then, he is only human like the rest of us and as Jesus Himself says, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matt 26:41).

From the Transfiguration we see Christ's glorious entry into Jerusalem. The City of David and City of Peace, which mankind has spilled much blood over to control for centuries as well as killing prophets sent to them. Next it would see the greatest crime in history, as well as the greatest act of love by God: the Passion of Christ. I like what the Catechism Companion, Vol I says:

His ascent into Jerusalem is to fulfill the role of the king. Everything he does is to establish the kingdom and redeem us... As Jesus descends the mountain and enters into agony, brokenness, and suffering, he shares our path. He walked it before us, but he walks it with us now by giving his Holy Spirit so that we are never alone. (p. 162)

Transfiguration of Christ, Byzantine artwork, c. 1200