Vol. 6, No. 25
Daughters of Mary Gospel Commentary
7 March 2017
Matthew 17: 1-9
I like to think of the Transfiguration as the Beatific Vision.
The Catechism defines the Transfiguration as the mysterious event in which Jesus, seen speaking with Moses and Elijah on the mountain, was transformed in appearance.
The transfiguration of Jesus is the culminating part of His public life, as His Baptism is the starting point and His Ascension its end. Saint Matthew and Saint Mark express this phenomenon by the word metamorphose, which the Vulgate renders Transfiguratius ets. The Synoptics explain the true meaning of the word by adding “His face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow, or “as light,” according to the Greek text.
The light was produced by the interior shining of His Divinity. The two figures who appear with Jesus are Moses, representing the Jewish Law and Elijah, representing Jewish prophecy.
Moses is most important because he is the person who gave Jews their basic laws which became the Torah.
Can you imagine how Peter, James and John must have felt? No wonder they fell prostrate.
Close your eyes and remember when you were awed by something or someone you saw, or music you heard.
Perhaps it was the first time you saw your child. Or when you sat by the bed of a loved one and saw God’s love, peace, and grace take them to Himself.
I have had experiences which I knew only God could produce.
I was walking on the Shell Mounds at Dauphin Island and came upon a majestic Oak Tree- so awesome that the hair stood up on the back of my neck. The branches stretched to the heavens and the trunk too large for 3 people to reach around. Light flooded through as God’s grace poured through reminding me how I must be rooted in Him, how I have to stretch my branches and let His light lead me. I saw God’s beauty in His creation.
I swooned the first time I saw David in Italy. The beauty which only God could create made me feel like a voyeur. Viewing a glimpse of what is waiting for us.
I heard Pavarotti sing and tears spilled out of my eyes as the experience of God’s gift flooded my soul.
Watching a pew mate take her elderly mothers hands in hers to warm them -letting God’s love move from daughter to mother.
Each day we are called to be transformed. We only have to open our hearts to see what God places before us. Each day we must pray for the grace to transform our wills to God’s will.
Mary, a mere Jewish maiden, was changed forever by transforming her will to God’s will.
God has joys and sorrows He places before us in order for each of us to be prepared for our ultimate transfiguration. The day when we see God with all clouds removed- the day we see God with total joy, peace, and love embracing us.
Let each of us open our eyes, hearts, and wills and continue on our journey to transfiguration.
Information gathered from Magnificat, New Advent.org, Catholic Encyclopedia, Year of Faith, Catholic Online, and the Holy Spirit J
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