“His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light...then Peter said to Jesus in reply, ‘Lord, it is good that we are here’”.
This Sunday’s Gospel tells the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Transfiguration literally means a change (trans) in appearance (figure). The transfiguration of Jesus did not change who Jesus was but revealed His true nature that he is true God and true man. The change in Jesus’s appearance gave Peter, James and John a peek of the divinity of Jesus and is a reminder of the divinity that dwells within us and is eternally promised to us.
Unfortunately we do not often recognize God’s presence within ourselves or others. A monk by the name of Thomas Merton said that “there is no way of telling people that they are walking around shining like the sun”. If only we could see (ourselves and) each other as transfigured, as shining! If only we could see in the neighbor we would rather ignore, belittle or judge the place where God has kissed and blessed them as His son or daughter we would not be as tempted to turn away from God’s presence and harm ourselves or others.
Each of us is created and loved by God. Each of us has the presence of God within us. This is made physical when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, when the minister holds up the host, looks us in the eyes and proclaims not only what is true of the host but is true of us, “(you are) the Body of Christ”. Jesus reminds us of this telling his followers that “whatsoever you do to the least of my people you did for me”.
The Transfiguration of Jesus took place so that Peter, James, John, and each of us who reflects on the story may be reminded of God’s divinity within us and promised to us. God said at the Transfiguration to Jesus and says to each of us, “this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”. God loves each of us and is pleased with us. How to we respond to that divinity within us? How do we respond to re-membering God’s presence in the Eucharist? St. Peter wanted to build a tent on the mountain and stay in that transfigured moment but Jesus knew that they were not called to stay but to walk down the mountain and set out to transform the world, so that “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.
Our call as Christians is go out into the world to bring His healing and love to every part of the world by reminding those who have grown blind to that presence in themselves and others that they are shining!
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