The Mystery of the Transfiguration
The Gospel scene of Christ's transfiguration, in which the three apostles Peter, James and John seem as if caught up by the beauty of the Redeemer, can be taken as an icon of Christian contemplation.
To fix our gaze on Christ's face, to recognize His mystery in the ordinary, painful way of His humanity, until we see the divine splendor, finally revealed in the Risen One (cf. Rosarium Virginis Mariae , No. 9). Let us follow this call of the Holy Father and, following the example of the Apostles, let us fix our eyes on the transformed Lord.
The Gospel writers place the mystery of the Transfiguration in the context of Jesus' daily messianic activity, which was performing miracles, teaching and announcing his passion (cf. Lk 9: 1-27). Jesus suddenly interrupted this daily work, "he took Peter, James and his brother John with him and led them up a high mountain by themselves" (Mt 17: 1). The mountain has no topographic significance here. Even the name of the mountain is missing. In the above-mentioned text, it has theological meaning: the place of closeness to God, the place of God's revelations, the place of meeting and experiencing God (cf. Ex 19: 1-15; Mt 28: 16-20). This mountain was very high. Effort was required to climb onto it. Jesus was and still is the guide on this difficult path. He has the initiative to enter: "he took", "he brought." Jesus is the way to the Father (cf. Jn 14: 6).
" And he was transfigured before them" (Mk 9: 2). Mark strongly emphasizes that Jesus was changed "before them". It places more emphasis on the addressees of this event than on the nature of the fact itself. The expression " transfigured " (methamorphothe) is the so-called theological passive voice that expresses God's action - "he was transfigured " (implicitly: by God). In this way the evangelist emphasizes that the transfiguration is God's work, it is God's revelation about Jesus. This verb does not mean a transformation of the form in the sense of the Hellenistic metamorphosis of the deities, but in the sense of the transformation of the earthly body into heavenly, destructible into indestructible, indestructible into glorious, weak into strong (cf. 1 Cor 15: 35-38).
In the apocalyptic language, the resurrected ones should be transformed: " But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, […] shall be like the stars forever." (Dan 12: 3). In the description of transfiguration, the verb "metamorphousthai" expresses the transcendent and supernatural character of transfiguration. This is confirmed by the phrase: " and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. " (Mk 9: 3). Mark describes the glory of the transfiguration, following the example of the glory of Jesus' resurrection (cf. Mk 16: 5). On the other hand, Matthew writes that " his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light " (Mt 17:2).
The light and the sun indicate theophany, that is, the revelation of God in the face of Jesus. God appeared to Moses in a burning bush (cf. Ex 3: 2). The radiance of Jesus' countenance points to His deity. During the transfiguration, the Father glorifies the Son. According to Luke, the transformation of Jesus' face took place during prayer, which has the power to transform, deify. During Jesus' earthly life, His deity was hidden in humanity. He revealed them only occasionally in miracles and signs and in the secret of the Transfiguration on the mountain.
What was the point of the appearance of Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor? Like the revelation of Jesus, this manifestation was also directed to the disciples: " Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses (Mk 9: 4). This appearance was to reveal something to the disciples about the person of Jesus. Peter wanted to build three tents (cf. Mk 9: 5). His intention was rebuked: " He hardly knew what to say," (Mk 9: 6).
Peter's proposal was wrong, since the appearances of Moses and Elijah were not to be understood in terms of their return to earth, as held by Jewish tradition and as Peter understood it. Their appearance is not information about them, but a revelation about Jesus. Jesus is at the center of the story, and not the great figures of the Old Testament history of salvation. Until now the witnesses of the transfiguration had known Jesus as completely part of this world. Now they had learned that He belongs to the other heavenly world as well, like Elijah and Moses. Jesus is even above them. This is a revelation to the disciples. Jesus is more than just their Master. He essentially belongs to the heavenly world. The Evangelist thus emphasized the transcendence of the person of Jesus. Jesus' glory is revealed in the transfiguration. The cloud is a symbol of the presence of God himself.
The appearance of the cloud and the voice emanating from it: "This is my beloved Son, listen to him!" (Mk 9: 7) explains the transcendence of Jesus. The cloud is a symbol of God's presence. The voice, on the other hand, is an allusion to baptism (cf. Mk 1:11), although with some differences: during baptism the voice is addressed to Jesus ("You are"), in the Transfiguration it has a declarative meaning and is addressed to others ("This is my Son "). This voice explains who Jesus is. The second difference concerns the very content of the voice: in the description of the transfiguration, only the first part corresponds to the baptismal account, the second part: " with you I am well pleased." (Mk 1:11) is omitted.
Mark simply wanted to say that Jesus is God's beloved Son. The phrase " listen to him!" it applies not only to witnesses, but also to the Church to which Mark addresses his work. He calls the community to believe in the word of Jesus, in his Gospel. He justifies this call to believe in the word of Jesus with the fact that Jesus is the Son of God. As a result, the word has unlimited authority in the Church. Jesus' divine filiation is confirmed by the witnesses to whom it was revealed. Thus, in the description of the transfiguration, Mark combines two theological aspects: Christological and ecclesiological. He justifies the divine filiation of Jesus in order to lay the foundation for the Church's faith in his word.
Why did Jesus transfigure before his disciples? What was the meaning of the mystery of the Transfiguration on the mountain for them and for the disciples of all times? We have two answers to these questions. The tradition of the Western Church understands this event pedagogically and pastorally. The main purpose of the transfiguration was to strengthen the hearts of the apostles in the face of the scandal of the cross, so that the humiliation of the torment he wanted to undergo would not shock their faith, and his hidden dignity would be revealed to them beforehand.
The mystery of the Transfiguration on the mountain has always been associated with Jesus' Passover; it counteracted the torment scandal and was a promise of a resurrection. Before setting off on a difficult path, you must know its end. This mystery is commented on in the Preface of the Second Sunday of Lent: "He, after announcing his death to the disciples on the holy mountain, revealed to them the splendor of his deity and, calling Moses and the prophet Elijah to be witnesses, assured us that through suffering we could reach the glory of the resurrection".
In Latin spirituality, the Transfiguration on the Mountain did not become an independent mystery with its own theological and spiritual meaning. The Eastern Church, on the other hand, understands the mystery of the Transfiguration on the mountain independently and mystagogically. Based on St. Paul (2 Cor 3:18), teaches that " Beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being changed into his likeness, from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit”. Even more should be said. Man, not only reflects what he contemplates, but becomes what he contemplates. By contemplating, we are transformed into an image of what we look at. As the Apostle says, by contemplating Christ, we become like him, we allow his world, his goals, his feelings left an imprint on us. John Paul II, introducing the mystery of the Transfiguration on the mountain into the mysteries of light and calling it an "icon of Christian contemplation" (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, No. 9), took a clear step towards making this mystery independent. It is no longer closely related to the Passion and Resurrection, but is an independent mystery, alongside the other mysteries of light. It is a courageous opening to the spirituality of the Sister Church(Eastern Church). This openness is also confirmed by the text of the Apostolic Letter.
In point 21 of the document about the rosary, the Holy Father writes that the purpose of contemplating the illuminated face of Christ is to prepare the disciples "to experience with him the painful moment of his Passion, so that they may come with him to the joy of resurrection". This is a classic Western thinking. However, in number 9 we read that by contemplating the face of the transfigured Lord, we open ourselves to the mystery of the life of the Holy Trinity and that the words of St. Paul that "Beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being changed into his likeness, from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2Cor 3:18). This is happening now as we contemplate the face of the Lord. This is also the view of the Eastern Church. In Rosarium Virginis Mariae we meet with a very interesting attempt to combine two traditions - eastern and western.
We live in a time dominated by the culture of images and visual communication. The modern man is called homo spectator; he lives what he looks at. The image has the power to penetrate not only the body but also the soul. The eye is the light of the soul (cf. Mt 6: 22-23); it is also the gateway to the soul. John Paul II's call to contemplate the face of the transfigured Lord is a genius answer to the great questions of our times. These words should be taken very seriously. The Holy Father reminds us that we will not be saved by formulas, abstractions and definitions, but by the living Person of Christ, who should be known, loved and imitated. The way of knowing is contemplating the face of Jesus Christ. It is the papal signpost for the third millennium. He points to Mount Tabor and reminds us: in the daily whirlwind of work, one must find time to climb the mountain of transfiguration in order to gaze silently at the shine of Jesus' face and to become like him through the Holy Spirit. Homo viator et peregrinus, contemplating the mystery of Transfiguration, tends towards its final destination.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george