FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD - A REVELATION TO THE NEW EXODUS
Fr. Azam Vianney Mansha, CJM - STL
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
In the Gospels there are five major events recorded about Jesus’ life and the transfiguration of Jesus is one of them, along with the Baptism of Jesus, Crucifixion of Jesus, Resurrection of Jesus and Ascension of Jesus. Today, with the Universal Church, we are celebrating the traditional feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. I need to confess that this is one of those feasts days which does not get much attention or understanding in the Community of Believers. Therefore, every year the Mother Church invites the Community of Believers to deepen their understanding about the mystery of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The evangelists Mark and Matthew describe the Transfiguration as ‘µεταµορφώσεις’ [metamorphosis] (Mk 9:3 & Mt 17:2) “radical change / transformation,” whereas the evangelist Luke calls it, ‘change in appearance’ (Lk 9:29). Since on this year (2023) the feast falls on a Sunday, its liturgy is not combined with the Sunday liturgy but completely replaces it.
As I always say, there is a need to revisit our theology to unpack the mystery of Sacred Scripture. Therefore, is the transfiguration only about a radical shinning face or is there something more? For today’s reflection I would like to journey with you to unpack the mystery of the Transfiguration of the Lord in a different way. This week let’s make a character’s reflection of the Transfiguration’s passage. For example, 1. Why did Jesus take only Peter, James and John with Him up the mountain? 2. Why were there only two prophets, Moses and Elijah? Why weren’t Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel and others there also? 3. What were Moses and Elijah actually conversing about with Jesus? As you can see we have a lot to do today, but prior to that I would like to quickly bring the importance of a place.
Now, the Transfiguration of Jesus is taking place on a mountain. Places in the Holy Bible are not only mentioned for historical purposes, but they have a theological meaning. For example, mountains in the Holy Bible are seen as a place to encounter God. For instance, Abraham received the grace of God on a mountain; Moses encountered the Lord on a mountain and in the burning bush; Elisha saw the back of the Lord on a mountain. So, when the evangelists mention that Jesus took His disciples up a mountain, it was not only the passage about the Transfiguration of Jesus but it becomes the passage about the Divinity of Jesus.
Let’s begin with the third question of today’s reflection which is ‘What were Moses and Elijah actually conversing about with Jesus?’
In Biblical exegesis, we have a method known as ‘construct the story’ which means you go out of your pericope to see what actually is going on in the passage. In today’s Gospel passage from Matthew, it does not actually say what Moses and Elijah were conversing about with Jesus; but when we look at the Transfiguration episode from the Gospel according to St. Luke, we do get an answer of what was going on between Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Let’s read together the Gospel passage:
Suddenly [Peter, John and James] saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to [Jesus]. They appeared in glory and were speaking about his exodus, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem.
What were Moses and Elijah conserving about with Jesus? Exodus! The New Exodus which Jesus was about to fulfill in Jerusalem through his passion, suffering, death and resurrection. So what is the first meaning of the Transfiguration of the Lord? The New Exodus!!! That’s all? No… there is more going on with the Transfiguration of the Lord.
A question… Did the transfiguration, meaning ‘radical change’ or ‘shining face,’ happen only in the New Testament or does it has a link with the Old Testament?
Actually, a partial transfiguration took place in the Old Testament when Moses went up the mountain to receive the Two Tablets of the Law or Ten Commandments. Moses spoke with God ‘face to face’ and as a reflection of God’s presence what happened was that the skin of Moses started shinning; a radical change or transformation took place:
Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.
Moses’s transfiguration was a partial but visible sign that God was leading them towards the Promised Land through Moses, as God’s visible presence was present on the face of Moses. In that way Jesus resumed that Divine Activity of the Old Testament as the climax of God’s mercy where Father speaks ‘this is my beloved son’; the Holy Spirit is present in the form of a cloud, and as the visible sign of Jesus’ Divinity - Jesus’ face is transformed. In this crucial moment of Jesus’ Transfiguration, why did Jesus take Peter, James and John with Him?
Just think for a moment on that passage, as the Israelites got freedom from the Egyptian slavery and marched towards the Promised Land, God called Moses to come to Mount Sinai to seal the covenant. In order to seal the covenant, God told Moses to bring with him Aaron, his brother, as a representation of a high priest and Aaron’s two sons - Nadab and Abihu; the seventy elders of Israel also joined them. In the presence of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, the covenant was sealed and a march began towards the Promised Land.
Now turn towards the New Testament, Jesus took Peter, James and John. Peter represents the High Priest or Pope; James and John were the two brothers and priests. Jesus took them with Him up the mountain to resume the Divine Activity of the New Exodus because in the Old Exodus the covenant was sealed in the presence of the High Priest; in the New Testament the New Exodus covenant was sealed in order to enter into the Promised Heaven in the presence of Peter, the high priest, whereas James and John stand there as priests. And how is the covenant sealed in the New Testament? The covenant is sealed through the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Every time we receive the Holy Eucharist - the Body of Christ - we are entering into the covenant to go to the New Exodus with the Lord in order to enter in the Promised Heaven.
Now we move to the final point of today’s reflection which is, “Why were there only two prophets, Moses and Elijah?” There is a traditional response to this question, that Moses represents Torah while Elijah symbolizes Israel’s prophetic heritage. This interpretation is widely accepted among the biblical scholars, but is that all? No! Think for a moment, who are the two prophets in the Old Testament who actually had a glimpse of God? Moses was talking with God in the Tent of Presence through the Ark of the Covenant and Elijah saw the back of God. Both of them had a desire to see God, but they were not able to see God. At the episode of the Transfiguration of the Lord their presence actually reveals the Divinity of Jesus as the Lord who had been visited by Moses and Elijah.
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord is a revelation that the New Exodus has been initiated by our Lord Jesus towards the Promised Heaven where each one of us is participating through the covenant of the Holy Eucharist in order to encounter the Divinity of Jesus Christ.
May the powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother intercede for us so that we may faithfully walk in the New Exodus through the mystery of the Transfiguration of the Lord in order to enter into the Promised Heaven.
